Ever After
by ArtGirlLullaby
Summary: After everything they went through, it came a time of peace. But in times like these, important decisions must be taken and so both Star and Marco will need to be ready to face the destiny and consequences of their actions and choices.
1. After All

_Hi everyone! I'm ArtGirlLullaby and I'm nervous as never have been with this._

 _Before we take fly on the Ever After story, I think I should give you a few information first:_

 _1) This is set up after the series, so the characters are matured and soon to be graduating high school;_

 _2) I won't say what are the pairings/couple/ships/whatever-you-call-it on here because I don't want you to read because of the pairing, but for the story itself. Is it weird? Sorry, I just want you to enjoy reading it first and judging by actually reading not only by a couple... If you are not comfort with this it's ok, you can leave or talk to me for guidance :)_

 _3) this fanfiction is rated T because of a few future scenes that are not appropriate to children, read at your own risk..._

 _4) This fanfiction is also being posted on Ao3, FF-net, Tumblr and DeviantArt. Feel free to go where it pleases you the most. (On DA my nickname it's Samio-Ana, I share my account there with a friend :3)_

 _5) This story mainly focus on Star and Marco, but the others will have their little moments too :)_

 _I think that's all for now. I hope you like it!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: After all**_

Star was lying down on her bed staring at the ceiling lazily while biting the top of her Wand.

She was bored. Like really _super_ bored and didn't even know why exactly; the princess knew she was supposed to do something and be at somewhere, but again, what was it? She couldn't remember, so she just laid there and keep thinking about nothing and everything since Marco and the others were nowhere to be found and his parents were walking the laser dogs. Thus the girl just got on her bed and kept staring at her ceiling like it has all the wanders of universe.

Things were so calm and different from when she first had arrived there. She went there to learn to use The Wand on a safe way and peaceful place (hey, didn't her parents though that the others were in more danger than her since she could make a fire rainbow?), then she meet the safe kid, the Diaz, begin her friendship with Marco and so, so many adventures.

Right now, after almost four years later, things were finally even. The evil forces were contained, the monsters have their places and humans have theirs, and in some cases they are mixed and live along well (Mrs. Skullnick was the first one! The teacher was really proud to be the first and such example), Ponyhead got control of Saint Olga after Mrs. Heinous went crazy (like, in another level of what she already was), thankfully, the woman was getting better and learning that brainwash was not the answer. Now, her best friend was the director and guide to the rebel princess, lessoning how to be responsible for a kingdom, a princess and yet still being individuals. Saint Olga was not even called "Reform School to Wayward Princesses" anymore, but "Guidance School to Princesses Soon to be Queens".

Heck, even Star went there few times because that place had become so awesome!

Ponyhead relationship with Marco got a lot better too. They still were too proud to say they were "best friends", but they do enjoy their time with all the fun they could get.

And Marco, how much they had been through! She saved him countless times and so did he (ok, maybe he was still counting, but she didn't care. Also because she knew that she was the one saving more.) She still had fresh in her mind things that no one else could ever replace him in the moment; like when he went to Blood Moon Ball because he thought it was dangerous (she may have been mad at him, but still he went there for her anyway and she couldn't help the light feeling she got from it), when she went through Mewberty and he did everything it was possible to her get back to her normal self… She could never forget the time she cleaved The Wand only to save him. Star didn't even thought twice before offering to Toffee or breaking it. The Wand could be replaced or recovered somehow, Marco's life couldn't.

The way he embraced her when she felt broken after seeing the dead Wand, it was so sad and Star was heartbroken for killing The Wand; she was relieved Marco was safe and sound by her side again, but she was confused and doubtful of what to do after that, she was shaking out of stress… The hug was short, but enough to easy her worries.

Marco was there, and her best friend would help her in anything.

Recovering the wand was hard, but the memories and adventures worth it all, now everything was calm and peaceful for once. Butt Frog was taking care of monsters country (he was incredibly good at it), Toffee was defeated, Mrs. Heinous wasn't crazy at ultimate level anymore, Marco learned how to control Monster Arm (they also got in good terms with each other!), Ludo even had a Wand!

Okay, it was a toy wand, but he would never know.

Things were at peace for the moment. Peace never lasts forever, but they were ready if anything came up and enjoying these times like a vacation against the forces of evil. It was helpful and relaxing and…

Freaking boring!

Star could kick some monsters butts that didn't obey the laws, but still a low activity compared to before. She didn't complain, but at times like these (when she felt like dying of boredom), she missed the action.

A knock at the door and then, a familiar voice opened while calling her "Star?"

She turned around and looked at the door. Marco was standing there with one eyebrow raised like he was a confused.

"There you are!" She exclaimed getting up and sitting on the edge of the bed "Where you have been all day?"

"At school…?" He said sliding his bag to the floor next to the door. "Where you _also_ were supposed to be until now…?" He walked approaching her and sitting by her side on the edge of bed.

"Oh! So _that's_ what I was supposed to do! That's why I was dying of boredom! Everyone was there!" She said glad she had come to a conclusion to her problem.

"… Yeah?" Marco said still confused, but then again, why he wasn't used to this part of her after the years still?

"Why didn't you call me to go?" She asked curious at him, he just shrugged.

"I did come, but the door was locked and your shoes were not at the door like you let them yesterday, I thought you were already there; like maybe you had gone with Oscar and forgot to tell me, so I went. I just realized you really weren't there when the class started and Oscar said he didn't talk with you today."

"Oh! You mean the possessed boots?" She said pointing to the pair of boots under her carpet… Again. "They never got to be where I leave them. I just try to keep it away from all my other shoes so them don't get possessed too, but this thing always comes back to under the carpet."

Marco looked at the boots kicking the floor and then at her "Really, you should exorcise those boots."

She laughed at him "Nah, its fine; as long isn't evil."

He rolled his eyes before throwing himself at her mattress covering his eyes with his arm. "So tired…" he murmured.

Star got up and went towards his bag on the floor. "So, what's new there?"

Marco sighed. "Not much. It's the ending of the very last school year, so they were more saying about our future than giving lessons and giving an summary on everything we learned until now to the upcoming exams."

Star took his notes and put in the middle of her notepad to copy them later. He raised himself to sit on her bed and stared her. The princess hair was the same (since she had cut a while ago to keep the length she liked), she had also grow up, but he got taller than her, just a few inches, her body was also more almost-woman like than he first saw her. She got her curves, delicate and matured, but not overdone it (really, Marco's a healthy boy dealing with hormones; he couldn't help but to remark the changes on both of them.) It was like she grown up but didn't changed who she was…

When she looked at him she giggled at his concentrated face. "What?"

He just kept serious. "Did you ever have a doubt?"

She raised an eyebrow confused at the question "About what?"

"Your future"

"Oh…" Star crossed her arms and shrugged "Well, being a princess, only child of the Queen and King, master of the Wand and soon-to-be-queen; Kind of limit your options and pretty much settles it…"

"Oh, right…" Marco scratched the back of his head "Sometimes I forgot you're a magical princess from another dimension and all…"

She giggled before sitting down again by his side "Why do you ask? You're having problems to decide your own?"

"I guess…" He shrugged with uncertain, "I mean… For a while all I could think was about the adventures, saving the world and giving my best to be at least a little help to you… Now everything's calm and I can have a normal life I realized that maybe I don't want this normal life at all!"

"What do you mean?" Star asked confused. "You beat hundreds of evil monsters, help me out, you're black flag now in karate and even a teacher!"

"I only lesson young children and for a half-period. Big deal. I can't make a life out of it and I don't think they're going to contract me as a master, even because they got Jeremy."

"Oh, for God's sake, forget Jeremy!" Star exclaimed frustrated. "Marco, look at me" When he refused, she pouted and hold his face in her hands. "I said look at me!" She exclaimed pulling his face so he was facing her. "Marco, you're awesome. PHD, remember? Pretty Handsome Dude? Well, you're. I didn't get to be here because I'm powerful, I'm where I am today because you were by my side to help me out. So, don't think low of yourself; _never._ You got it?" Star stated.

Marco looked at her surprised, but then he smiled and took her hand out of his face, but kept holding it. "Thank you Star. Sometimes I forget all that…"

"You're welcome" She smiled before throwing herself on the bed to stare at the ceiling again. "Besides, even if you don't fit here or whatever, you can go to Mewni with me. I assure you that there may be someth— Oh!" She exclaimed sitting up and bouncing on the mattress "You can be my knight! No! Even better! My general!"

"Huh, I don't know… Don't knights need some kind of preparation?"

"Karate master, remember?" She said, "Also, you're the safe kid. You're perfect for the job!"

"I am a misunderstood bad boy!" He exclaimed annoyed and she laughed lying on her bed again.

"This always get in your nerves!"

Marco pouted and she smiled at him. He couldn't resist smiling back a laugh a bit. "By the way, why didn't you go to school?"

"Oh, I forgot it."

He stared at her like when the first time they met and she bite a water drinker "You forgot to go to school? The routine you have been doing up for four years?"

"Yeah… Kind of"

"Star!" He exclaimed to call her attention.

"Marco!" She replied.

"Don't 'Marco' me!"

"You begin to 'Star' me!"

"Stop it."

"You begin it."

"I didn't."

"Did too"

"Did not"

"Did too"

 _"Kids"_

Both of them looked at the direction of the third voice. Queen Butterfly was on Star's mirror, her indifferent and annoyed face in the pose of a Queen… Like always.

"Mom!" Star exclaimed getting up (how many times she had get up and laid down on the bed on the five minute he was there?) and went to her mirror bouncing. Marco followed her by walking calmly to the reflex of the queen.

"Hello, Queen Butterfly."

 _"Good to see you, Marco Diaz."_

"What's up, mom? You don't get to call me very often…" Star said a bit curious.

 _"Well, it's about few things you said to get from Earth to improve Mewni, but I got a more urgent matter with you. I wish to speak with you… Alone."_ She finished looking at Marco.

"No problem." He smiled "I'll give you privacy. I'll be at kitchen to make some lunch for us."

"Thank you." Said the princess and queen. Once the door was closed, Star turned around to her mother again. "So, what's the matter?"

 _"Star, you already finished mastering The Wand and your magic. Indeed, you even were able to put up the peace that took generations to do it. I'm impressed."_

"Aw, thanks mom. It means a lot to me!" She smiled embracing the Wand, touched by the mother's words she thought it would never be heard.

 _"That's not all."_ The Queen said _"Since you proved that you're capable to not only use the wand, but you also are able to pacify and control a conflict. You proved you're able to be a Queen to honor the Kingdom of Mewni."_

"Why are you saying all that?" Star asked cautiously, feeling a bit afraid of the upcoming answer.

 _"Star, my dear…"_ Queen said and smiled. _"It's time for you to come back to Mewni for once after all."_

* * *

 _Yes, More notes because I just remember a few things it would be better to be said at the end._

 _6) If at any point on the story you don't like it anymore it's fine. If you hate it, it's fine too. You can leave wherever you want and I hope you find a story you like or that any other story of mine please you, just don't make a mess on this one. This is **all** I will request from you. I respect the fact that you may/don't like it, so respect the fact that I (and the readers) do._

 _7) English it's not my first language (it's Brazilian Portuguese), so there may be grammar mistakes or something, if you find, please notify me by PM, a review so I can correct it. :)_

 _8) Please don't hate me for the cliffhangers._

 _9) I'll try to come up by updates with a certain regularity (since most of it it's already written), but college it's pushing me, so I'll have to ask for a little bit of patience._

 _10) If you're a Brazilian reader that came up here to verify why I'm posting this and not updating one of my other stories... Desculpa! Eu estou relendo e corrindo um monte de coisas porque acabei perdendo o fio da meada na maioria! (Com exceção de Dia Comum, já está no último capítulo, mas não sei bem como encerrar ela ainda.)_

 _I hope you enjoyed it and you like what's coming up next!_

 _*hugs*_

 _~-ArtGirlLullaby_


	2. After That

_Hi everyone again!_

 _I would like SonicELITE, Guest, aliyaperez101 and craztrain99 for your kindly reviews 3_

 _Thank you TMNTLittleTomboy, aliyaperez101, craztrain101 and helloimant for following this piece of work, feels, tears and love. Another thank you to aliyaperez101 and oniboy1999 for the favs :3_

 _Aliya, you got three kinds of thank you for different reasons, get a hold of yourself xD_

 _Thank you very much all of you and the other 232 viewers, I don't know if you read and didn't liked or just kept quiet, but let me say I love you guys for getting interested on this work of mine, if some of you didn't liked it, I hope someday one of my works gain your heart :)_

 _Without any further ado, here the Chapter! I hope you guys like it!_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: After That**

To say he was annoyed, it would be an understatement. He was far, _far_ beyond annoyed.

Marco was _worried_.

Star was acting very weirdly. To begin with, when Marco called her to eat some Nachos, she wasn't hungry. It was an _obvious_ signal something was wrong. Then, the next day, on the way to school he had to push her so she wouldn't go straight to a tree, then she would be looking blankly at the blackboard or the window, looking at a fly or the lights on the ceiling… Ok, Star did get distracted easy, but the way she was, it have been beyond normal.

Even if it's _Star_ he was talking about.

So right now, at lunch she lay on the grass alone and keep looking at the sky while Marco was eating his lunch with Ferguson, Jackie, Alfonzo and Janna, but they weren't aware of Star's out of space like he was. Maybe because he lived with her for almost four years, now.

"Marco?" The said boy looked beside him, looking at Jackie as she called him. He got over being embarrassed to even look at her, now they could talk and he could hold a conversation (that wasn't on cat images texts) without passing out. She looked concerned as continued "Is there anything wrong?"

He sighed before turning around to talk to them "Haven't you guys noticed Star acting weird?"

"She's from outer space – _literally_ –, what we think _weird_ is normal to her, so… Her normal is to be weird… I guess…" Ferguson thought out loud, getting a bit confused on his own line of thinking.

Marco tried to clarify "No, I mean, more than normal"

Janna interrupted him without noticing. "Would that be her acting like a lady-princess?" She wondered.

Alfonso agreed "Now, _that_ would be really weird!"

"Not like that, I mean like she's being distracted easily." Marco tried to make some sense. It was hard since he wasn't sure how he knew she wasn't fine from the moment he laid his eyes on her that morning.

"She _is_ easily distracted" Jackie said "I don't remember once she could pay attention to History class before the teacher stepping inside the classroom."

"That's not only her" Janna said "I also get to sleep on history class."

"Is there anyone who stays awake while history class is going on?" Alfonso wondered.

"I do" Jackie replied.

The boy growled in annoyance on how easy distracted _they_ were. "Can we get back to the first subject?"

"Sure. What about Star?" Janna said.

He gave a quick glance at the girl again before turning back to them. "She seems… _Off_."

"Off?" Alfonso said confused.

Ferguson frowned "Is that even possible?"

"What do you mean by 'Off'?" Jackie asked.

"I mean, look at her!" Marco said looking over his shoulder, the others were not so descriptive; Not that would matter since Star was too busy looked at a squirrel like it was the newest thing on the universe "She's just lying there looking up and… Quiet."

After a few seconds observing her and realizing she really was indeed too quiet, they begin to talk altogether again.

"I didn't think Star have an 'off' moment" Janna commented.

Alfonso almost screamed "I didn't even think she had an 'off' _button_! I always thought that even sleeping she would be going around, like she was a sleepwalker!"

 _She does have her moments_ , thought Marco without revealing his best friend secret.

"Well, now that you pointed out I feel like the apocalypse is about to come" Jackie said.

"The _apocalypse_?" Ferguson retorted "More like the order of the whole universe was broken and it's about to be rewritten!"

"We have to bring her back!" Alfonso said getting up.

Janna got on her feet and raised a fist in the air agreeing "Yeah!"

"I didn't mean that!" Marco said face-palming himself.

"I also don't think this will help…" Jackie continued and then turned to Marco again "Did something happen?"

"Is what I'm trying to figure out" Marco admitted, "We didn't fight, no one attacked us, nothing at all. Everything was fine and then, suddenly she became like this… For God's sake I swear I can even hear a song from Enya playing on her mind!"

They looked at her again and, yep; definitively, there was a song from Enya playing on the void of her thoughts they could even hear like it was on their minds too.

"Well, that's kind of disturbing even…" Janna said frowning at the song that now stuck on her head "Did you ask her what's going on?"

"No, this moron just kept thinking about it instead of asking!" Said another voice and everyone looked to the face mark on his arm. There was a mark that looked like a tattoo of a face a bit below his biceps; the symbol of Monster Arm existence.

Marco pinched the smiling tattoo. "No. Talking!" He exclaimed to Monster Arm that grunted at the pinch. "It's annoying enough that I have a magic parasite inside my arm, I don't need it talking all the time to make even weirder."

"You're cold" Monster Arm said before the tattoo stop moving and disappear on his skin with no marks, like usual. Marco sighed before talking again on the subject before.

"I tried to talk to her, but Star said everything was fine and that laser dogs could fly away in the sky at a rainbow and become unicorns." After they look at him like he had a third head (the second being Monster Arm), he completed. "Just repeating, not me saying."

"Wait… The laser dogs can _fly_?" Asked Janna surprised.

"Why you had never mentioned it?! We can make races on the sky!" Alfonso said excitedly.

"I don't think that was Marco's point" Jackie remarked when Marco hit his face on the table. "You don't remember anything? She was absent yesterday."

"Yes, but have nothing with the way she's now. Star would have been weird when I got home and she was fine… It was after I got home."

Ferguson finished drinking his soda before asking. "You don't remember anything happening on this time?"

"Not at all… She just…"

 _She just talked to her mother_ , Marco remembered. It was right after the conversation she got weird. Oh God, she did something didn't she? Maybe him? Maybe both? Maybe the Queen? Maybe Ferguson was right and the apocalypse was about to come? Maybe a meteor summoned magically by a crazy guy would destroy the planet because his mother… No, wait, that was Final Fantasy VII, never mind.

But what could have happened in the conversation? Star and her mother were in fine terms after Star settled the peace between monsters and people. So what her mother would do or tell that would in her nerves like she was?

"Did you figure out something?" Janna asked noticing his expression.

"Maybe…" He said getting up and to go after Star "I'll see you guys later!"

He meets her close to the corridors that lead back to the building. She was walking mindless to the back of school; he had to pull her just before she hit her head on a tree… Again.

She looked at him and smiled a bit "Hey, Marco! Did you see that nut?"

He frowned at her "Nut? What…" He shook his head get back to what he was doing "Never mind. We need to talk."

Marco – still holding her arm – pulled her through corridors and stairs until they were at the roofs door. It was always locked, so no one could go there (since forbidding teenagers students was in vain). For that reason no one that wasn't a school employee would be there; that's why it was the perfect place to talk.

He stood at the top of the stairs while she was with her back on the closed door. If she tried to run, he could block her way. "Ok, spill it out. What did your mother told you?"

"Why do you think she told me anything?" Star smiled nervously.

Marco counted on his fingers the reasons. "You haven't eaten, you barely pay attention to anything around you, looks like you didn't sleep, you are way more mind-absent than ever, and you can't… Star, I'm talking to you!" Marco exclaimed when he realized she stop listening and was looking at a fly on the lamp.

"Oh sorry, Marco" Star smiled "It's nothing. It's just…" She sighed without finishing what she wanted to say.

Star wanted to tell him that those would be her last days spending time with him, on Earth and all but… She couldn't. The information was still too fresh to her and she had yet to believe it. Star was trying to let it all sink in, but it was hard.

What would be all the consequences of accomplishing her duty?

"It's just some… Kingdom issues…" She answered vaguely.

He raised one eyebrow "About you being a princess or something?"

"Yeah… More to the 'something' part…" She answered, then sliding on the locked door until she was sitting on the floor "It's complicated. I don't know what to do; I don't even know how to deal with it…"

Marco approached and sat right beside her looking down the stairs. "Wanna talk about?" He asked and she shook her head "Ok… If you need, anyway and anytime, I'm here, y'know?" he shrugged.

"Thanks, Marco" Star smiled "But you really can't help me this time around."

He looked at her astonished "It is _that_ complicated?"

She looked at him to reply "It is…"

She could see how he was worried about her, but she couldn't explain yet. She have to understand all her feelings, resolutions and obligations first, organize everything on her and then talk about it with Marco and the others. She would only hurt him if she shared all the confusion she was now, bringing him to agony, doubt and… Maybe even some fake hope.

Star couldn't do that.

She rested her head on his shoulder, getting a bit of relief from all the tension she had built in herself since the day before. Marco would understand and try to help her on anyway he could, but for now, all she needed was a shoulder of support. And he let her, patting her head like she was a child he was trying to calm down.

After a while, the bell ring to announce the classes would start again. Star lifted her head and Marco got up extending a hand to help her. They begin to go downstairs to get back to the class.

" _It's time for you to come back to Mewni for once after all."_

" _What? Why all of sudden?" Star asked troubled._

" _This isn't all of sudden" Queen Butterfly replied. "You went there to learn to control the power of the Wand and you did. Exceptionally, I must say. That's was the deal, once you could control the Wand's Power you could come back home."_

" _But I'm not ready."_

" _Of course you are!" Then she looked at her daughter sad face "You don't want to come home?" Her mother asked concerned._

" _I do, but…" Star bit her lower lip "I have a life here too, you now… I just… Wasn't expecting to leave so soon and suddenly"_

" _It's been four almost years, Star. It's more than time."_

Star still could remember all the talk. Her mother was right. The deal was done and she should go home… But Earth had also become her home. How she could say goodbye?

Distracted by her thoughts, she slipped on one step and would fall if wasn't for Marco right in front of her; he hold her on time and make sure she was okay.

"Careful there" He said holding her arm carefully so she couldn't slip again.

Star looked at her best friend. How she was supposed to say goodbye to him?

On the way to class, Star pulled her phone and sent a text to Oscar to meet up after school.

That would be one of the hardest things she had yet to do; the first of a long list.

.

.

.

After school; Star said she had a date with Oscar, so Marco could go home without her. He thought it was weird since her mood in the morning, but let it go. Star got Mewni issues and, being an open book as she was, it was better to let her do things on her own way.

So he decided to watch a movie (but with everyone busy – which mean Ferguson and Alfonso on detention and Janna her part-time job), it was only him and Jackie. It was kind of nice. It had been a while since the two went to do something on their own.

They decided to watch some modern adventure, but it become kind of boring. This kind of thing happens if you live four years with a magical princess from another dimension… Even more if you had a magical parasite arm. So their fun was to criticize the effects and actor reactions.

"Oh my God, that slime looks more like jelly than a monster left over!" Jackie hushed laughing.

"Don't even tell me. And when the guy found out he could do magic? I mean, I freaked out with monster arm, but the guy was like 'oh, ok. I can do magic and become a dragon, cool. Now I know all the magic tricks of the world by breathing', I mean what in the world… Not even Star learned this easily!" Someone shushed him and he apologized.

Jackie laughed trying to keep it low "Things are definably different in real life."

"Tell me about it" He replied laughing.

They got out of there and decided to eat some pizza nearby. They were chatting about something kind of silly when Jackie spotted through the window both Star and Oscar. She and Marco were about to go in when Oscar pointed towards them… No; towards _Marco_.

When Star looked she seemed astonished that they were about to go in then shook her head and took Oscars hands talking about something that seemed to upset him. She looked troubled, but again, she was like that since morning.

Marco didn't realized any of that, he was busy texting his mother to let her know he would eat out. Just when he was about to enter, Jackie decided to cover for Star (what she had to cover she didn't know, but she felt like doing it anyway).

She hold his arm just when he was about to open the door "Wait, Marco!"

He looked at her confused "What's wrong?"

"Can we…" She looked through the window looking the tense conversation of Star and Oscar "Can we talk for a bit?"

"We can do that inside." He stated pushing the door a bit.

She pulled him again away the door. "Yeah, but it's nice here… It's just for a while…" She pleads.

By Marco's face, Jackie realized he knew she was up for something, but decided to go with it. "Okay…" he turned away from the door, went beside and put his hands on the red jacket pockets "What do you wanna talk about?"

Jackie flinched, but thought of something quickly. "What… Do you think you gonna do after graduating?"

"I dunno" Marco sighed leaning on the wall beside the door. "I always wanted to do something cool and that would impress, but also help people, but… I got no idea of what would that be" He laughed and shook his head "What about you?"

"I'm going to try to become a veterinary" She said looking to sky. "I'm probably going away from California to study"

Marco was taken aback by this "You never mentioned anything about it."

"I never was certain about it." She cleared herself. "I thought about just few days ago. I'm going to try it."

He smiles looking at the orange sky of the sunset "I can imagine you surfing there at competitions"

"It would be my part-time job" She agreed.

Silence fell for a moment. Jackie had forgotten about for a moment, gathering some courage for her next topic. She actually hasn't planned to do it like that, but since the mood between them was good and he needed some time to think… It would be better to just ask and let him think about and make his decision until then.

"Marco."

"Huh?"

"Would you come with me?"

* * *

 _And the feels train it's getting started. RELEASE THE FEELS!_

 _I'm just on the begging, I hope you guys like it though... So how is it going? ^^_

 _If you spot anything wrong, report me so I can fix. Reminding that English isn't my first language, so there may be a few..._

 _I see you guys in the next chapter!_

 _Hugs!_

 _~-ArtGirlLullaby_

 _EDIT: OMG I DID A HUGE MISTAKE ON HERE. So, if you had read this before, I'm SO SORRY! You see, I made a note in this Chapter that was a "California -" When I was writing I fought "So this must mean they're going to California" Because I totally forgot why I did that note! So the Guests Melvis Monroe and a Anon had pointed my that Echo Creek WAS on California then I remember that I had seen that and THE ARROW MEANT "AWAY" NOT "TO". I'm so sorry for this! I already fixed, but if you had read on how it was I'm so sorry. ;-;_

 _A huge Thank you for both Guests pointing this out! I'm sorry for this misunderstood!_


	3. After Breaking

_Ok, first of all, thank you to everyone who favorited, reviewed and followed this week!_

 _A special shout out to the two guests that pointed my mistake on the last chapter! thank you!_

 _If you don't know what happened, then let me explain so you won't be lost on the next chapters: I said that Jackie planned to GO to California, but Echo Creek is a city IN California._

 _I called my betas and long story short: we freaked out. I was trying to find out what I did it wrong and I found a note for the second chapter where all i wrote was "California -", then I remember that when I was writing that I saw the note and thought "Oh, she's going to California",I completely forgot I had searched for Echo Creek and all, THE FREAKING ARROW MEANT **AWAY** NOT **TO**._

 _Why I didn't just write that?_

 _Well, that's it. Just to clarify that Jackie is leaving California and invited Marco, not otherwise :)  
I hope you like this Chapter! Is the one I turned all my beta readers into my ship (which they hated) 8D_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: After Breaking**

Star kept looking at her hands like it was the most wonderful thing in the world. Talking with Oskar wasn't easy, but she could understand. After one year and half, she broke up with him suddenly, without a fight or misunderstanding. It was natural that he didn't accept well until she explained herself.

There wasn't much of thinking into her breaking up. It wasn't needed. Star had duties as a princess and she must do it. For her kingdom; for her people; for her parents...

For herself.

Star thought she would be more sad and hurt about this, but she wasn't. Of course it was hard and painful, but... It wasn't unbearable like she thought it would be. It felt like a cut after putting a Band-Aid on it – It didn't hurt, it was just stinging a bit. It was her first love; it should be painful, right?

Yet, there she was. Calm and secure that it was the right thing to do, she hadn't shed one single tear and didn't feel like it would come. She felt heartless to Oskar, but she couldn't change things are they are.

Maybe breaking up with him was a matter of time; her situation just pushed her into it faster.

"Hey, Star!"

She looked up to find Marco and Jackie walking up to her. She gave a thankful glance at Jackie for stopping Marco going inside in a bad time. The skater girl shrugged like it wasn't much. The exchange was quick and discreet, so Marco didn't notice anything.

"Hey Marco, hey Jackie" she smiled.

The other blonde waved. "Whats'up?"

"Not much..." She lied in a nervous laugh.

"Really?" Marco asked suspicious "Because we just walked by a very upset Oskar out there" He commented pointing outside with his thumb over his shoulder.

"Oh, that. Well..." Star thought about what to say. It took just a moment to understand that lying about that would make no sense. Everybody would know very soon, so it would be better to known by her. "We broke up"

Marco blinked twice before exclaiming a very confused " _Whaaaat_?"

Star gave an awkward smile and Jackie blinked at her also confused, she thought it was a couple fight, not a breaking up. That was a mess beyond she thought. Jackie suddenly remembered how she was in the morning, were things connected? Marco said something about her talking to her mother, then she was with her head on the clouds all the afternoon and now she broke up with her boyfriend? Something was really wrong.

"Yeah... Things were not a fairy tale..." She laughed awkwardly.

"That's kinda funny hearing from a magical princess" Jackie joked trying to lift the tension.

"From another dimension" Marco completed also smiling.

Star smiled bitterly. She knew it wasn't on purpose, but lately reminding who she really was… troubled her. It thrown on her all the duties and responsibilities she would take and all she would have to give up… like eating Marco's Nachos.

It should pass sooner or later, but for now she wished no one reminded her of it. Just for these final weeks, she wished no one would came up with the topic and then it was possible to her pretend she was just like them; a normal girl, no obligations, and planning a future in a career and university… Not doing what was imposed to her since she was born. No, that wasn't fair. She liked to be a princess, just…

Not right now.

"I can understand..." She smiled sadly at the remark.

"We're having pizza. You haven't eaten yet, right? Let's eat together" Marco smiled in a hopeful glance of cheering her up.

Star pondered for a while, Oskar's words echoing on her mind.

" _Oskar, I like you; a lot. Really, but we need to finish this."_

 _He moves a bit confused "Why... Why are we doing this all of sudden?"_

" _Oskar we... We are not going anywhere. We are just... Familiarized to each other" She tried to reason before he cut her off._

" _Is because you're in love with Marco?"_

Looking at Marco and his smile right now she pondered his words. Could she be in love with Marco? She shook her head both to answer his invitation as to stop thinking that kind of thing. Definitely, that was not the right moment for that.

"Nah, I'll pass" she got up "I'm not hungry and…" She braced herself like that would ease her tension "I want to be alone for a bit. I... Need to... Clear my mind."

Marco asked put a hand on her shoulder "You gonna be fine?"

"Yeah," she gave a step back so she was out of his reach "I'll just walk home. But, enjoy you two!" She smiled to ease the tension "I'll be going. Bye!" She waived on her way out; both Marco and Jackie waved back to her.

The swing door made a faint noise of a bell there. Star took a breath when fresh and cool air of the night hit her face, looking at the sky for a moment.

 _She startled at his statement before exclaiming "What?! I'm not in love with Marco! He's my best friend on Earth, that's all!"_

" _Don't lie to me" Oskar grunted "I see the way you talk and look at him and how caring he is for you" another grunt "That kind of thing doesn't come from nothing."_

" _That's because it's what besties do to each other!" She answered in annoyance "What's wrong with you? You never were like this or talked about it like that. There's no reason for you to be jealous of Marco; he got his life and I got mine, what I am doing here does not concern anyone else but us!" she reasoned._

" _Oh, really?!" Oskar said pissed off._

" _Yes!" She answered on the same tone._

" _Then why he's here?!" Oskar exclaimed pointing to the door way, where Marco was about to go in. Hand at the door, but looking behind him, talking with Jackie._

 _Oh no..._

She gave a tired sigh and then begun to walk home under the darkening purple sky of the sun that just had disappeared. Everything Oskar said was ringing on her head, like far away bells that announce something that she doesn't know because she's too far to take notice.

Why would he think she gave up on him for Marco? It didn't make sense! Ok, she did give up her wand (that was the most powerful and strongest weapon in universe) for her friend, but...

Oh God, she _did_ give up on her Wand for Marco! It _was_ reasonable what Oskar said and thought. But it was a serious and another kind of situation! What she was supposed to do then? Let her best friend die? She would have done the same thing for Ponyhead.

" _I don't know what he's doing here" Star said still surprised by her friend on the door._

 _Jackie looked at her and tried to pull him away from there, the girl had already read the atmosphere and tried to make her companion wait the storm between the couple pass to go in. Marco was the kind of friend that would go into an argument to defend a friend, but this is something she needed to do alone. Marco would only do worse; even because somehow he was the topic that Oskar thought he was the reason to the break up._

" _I'm done!" Oskar said getting up, but Star held his hand before he could go._

" _Wait!" He looked at her "I…" she bit her lip for a second and then sighed "I can explain why, but... Sit down." Oskar looked at her reluctant, but went to sit down again._

 _Star saw that Jackie had convinced Marco to stay outside somehow. She mentally said thank you to her before turning back to Oskar._

 _With a deep breath, Star thought were she should began. It was the first time she would say that to someone and talk about it. She wished the first person to know was Marco, but in such situation that was impossible._

" _Oskar... You know who I am, right?"_

" _That's a stupid question..." Oskar complained._

 _Star huffed at his attittude "Just say it."_

" _You're Star Butterfly. 17 years old, soon to be graduating in Echo High School and..." Oskar stopped. A look of understatement on his face, he sighed and rested his head on one hand while the other messed his hair slightly "... And royalty from another dimension."_

" _ **Princess**_ _from another dimension" Star corrected "The one heiress to the throne, single daughter from the king and Queen of Mewni. Soon to be Queen" she completed._

 _Oskar sighed "Why does this matter now? I mean, why it wasn't important before?" He asked a bit annoyed._

" _It always was" she said looking at her hands on the table "It's just that before I didn't quite think about it. And... Things happened, and I…"_

" _Star" Oskar called her to get her attention "What's the matter; for real?"_

 _Star took a breath before saying "Oskar, did you never thought about becoming king of a whole kingdom?"_

Then there was the moment Oskar realized that even if he wanted, he couldn't be a king. Not because it was impossible (it wasn't. Mewni didn't had this kind of law or tradition), but because he was unable to. In Mewni all it was need to marry a "commoner" was to be sure this person was completely ready to employ the royal service, as a king, queen, minister or anything, as long the other one would fit the job there wouldn't be a trouble.

How would Oskar take care of a kingdom when he was lost at his own? That was one of the reasons why Star decided that she needed to break up before it went one day more. She was planning to make everyone get used to her absence, so they would suffer less. Oskar was the first one, but there was a list to do.

Just as long as her heavy responsibilities.

 _Oskar went pale with the question. He thought about his own simple problems, a missing father, absent mother, shitty stepfather, his reckless and carefree way of living... How he could be a king? He couldn't even deal with his problems, much less a whole kingdom and..._

 _He understood Star's point._

" _I never thought about it" Oskar admitted. "I…" he gulped before finishing, "Never thought of us going far from where we stand." He sighed and hid his face on his hands. Star was right, they_ _ **were**_ _going nowhere, but while Oskar only had to take care of himself; Star had a whole new level of responsibility. Herself, her dimension, her kingdom... As hard it was to admit and say it, he couldn't take that much of responsibility._

 _He just couldn't, even if he tried or wanted, he knew he_ _ **couldn't**_ _._

" _I get it" He said looking at her, looking into the blue eyes "But… Why right_ _ **now**_ _?" He asked curious._

" _Oskar, I..." she took a breath "I'll be going back to Mewni after graduation."_

She sighed, caressing her arms trying to get a bit warm in such cold night, it was windy that was a bit odd in summer, but she figured out that it was probably because it would rain soon.

Oskar's face was so… Hopeless. She didn't mean to drop the bomb on him, she didn't even planned to tell him anything, but he insisted on knowing, so she had told.

 _He looked lost for a moment. She was breaking up with him because it would be over soon anyway, she was trying to lift the goodbye on him sooner so he would get move on sooner._

 _This was the kind of person his girlfriend was._

 _ **Ex-girlfriend.**_

" _Ok…" Oskar gave a faint smile "Y'know, I always thought that if you ever broke up with me, it would be for Marco."_

" _What?! No, I'm not that kind of girl!"_

" _I know. It's just..." He scratched his hair, "You two seem to be way more compatible then anyone I know. Even us… But, never mind" He sighed "It was nice being your boyfriend, Star. You're an amazing girl and will be an awesome Queen." She gave a sad smile while he got up "I guess... That's it."_

 _Unable to say anything, Star just nodded. Oskar raised his hand on her face on a rare and last tender moment. "Bye, Star. Be happy, ok? And… Give a chance to listen what your heart really wants, you may find out your king is right beside you as a knight."_

" _I'll do my best." she smiled holding his hand. "Bye, Oskar."_

 _He smiled, then turned and left the place. So Star couldn't see the tears he was holding. Both of them knew that something like that would come sooner or later, but she never guessed she wouldn't cry while the boy she liked walked away from her with a broken heart._

Oskar thought she matched with Marco but she couldn't see why. Well, they did fight together in synchronicity, Marco was her strength and she was his, he would always know how to cheer her up and when she was bad about something. And then there was also that Blood Moon Ball thing that linked their souls forever...

Wait…

 _Good Lord_ , her soul was linked _forever_ with her best friend!

Ok, but that didn't mean anything, right? Like there was Mewberty when he did everything he could to bring her back, the Storm Castle she challenged a whole group of Monsters to save him, when they spend a whole paralyzed time day having fun on 'dates', and when she got him a girlfriend which went terrible, when he helped her with Oskar, when…

There was too much.

 _Way too much._

Oh God, that wasn't good. Not at all. She _couldn't_ , she _shouldn't_! Just… **Nope**.

But how she could help herself thinking on the way he cared about her?

No. No, no! That was _not_ happening. She would just move on. Yeah, that was a good plan. She would go to Mewni, get to learn how to rule a kingdom and begin the tradition (the one and only she probably couldn't avoid now) to suit the Crown and become the Queen of Mewni. She would find a new crush, fall in love, marry him, have kids and it would be alright. Yep. Now, _that's_ a good plan! Even because in a few days she may leave Earth to never come back again…

And he…

She couldn't. She just couldn't think about it right now. It was too much to take in!

A warm feeling came around her and she startled stopping the walk suddenly. Looking at her shoulders, she recognized the red jacket. She was the one who gave to him.

"You're freezing, Star!" Marco exclaimed when she stopped in her tracks "It's getting cold and it will rain soon. C'mon, let's go home."

She kept looking at him in both wonder and confusion. "What are _you_ doing here?!" The princess exclaimed.

"Uh... Trying to go home?" He raised one eyebrow when she didn't move when he tried to pull her to walk again.

"No, I mean..." She frowned, "What about Jackie? You two were supposed to eat pizza together!"

"Yeah, but… Nome of us felt right." He said putting both his hands on the pants pockets since the hoodie was with her. "We both were worried of how you and Oskar were doing. Eating pizza like there was nothing wrong was impossible. So, she went after Oskar and I came to get you... You're alright?" He asked concerned.

"I'm fine… I really mean it when I said I need a moment alone." She looked at her feet.

"I know." He sighed scratching his nape. "But what are best friends if not to perturb when they were not supposed to?" He smiled playful and she smiled as well, a bit of tension lifted from her shoulders. "I'll walk you home. If you want to think, I promise I won't talk... But I want to be here if you need me." Marco pointed out.

"Thanks, Marco." Star said hugging his jacket a bit closer.

"C'mon. Let's get home already." He smiled again with one arm around her shoulders, leading the way.

She let him do as he pleased while her mind was really far away in outer space.

Star never really thought about the "king" part of her life, but after Oskar mentioned... She realized it was just a few months away to her turn to 18. And that's the age when princesses would begin to seek a future king for her kingdom.

" _Give a chance to listen what your heart really wants, you may find out your king is right beside you as a knight."_

She thought about what Oskar said just before leaving, what did he meant by listening to her heart? She did that! She always did! And a knight that could be king? That was absurd. She went to Earth alone, she got no knights there! She barely had had weapons…

Besides the Wand, that was the most powerful weapon she could think of, but still!

She tripped on the sidewalk and Marco got her. He didn't say a word, like promised, just got caught her before she would fall, helped her to get on her feet again and kept walking home like nothing happened.

Star looked at him in wonder, he was slightly taller than her, a bit of beard to be done on his face, his hair was a bit messed and his eyes relaxed and focused on the road.

God, when did he became so handsome without her knowledge?! Now that she thought, she did think it was sexy when he spoke in Spanish... And his body had also gained few muscles after all the fighting and karate lessons.

 _What kind of thought was that?!_

Star felt a cold drop fall on her head and exclaimed slowing the pace to check. Marco also did and looked at her golden hair, noticing it was a bit wet. Another drop hit him on the face; then one on her shoulder; another on his hand. When more begin to fall, both teenagers looked up in the sky just in moment to the downpour fall heavily on them. Star shrieked when the thousands of droplets soaked her, they begin to run; Marco pulled the jacket's hood above her head like it would help.

"From where the hell that downpour came from?!" Marco exclaimed annoyed, pulling her by her wrist along other people running to get a shelter from the rain. Star was holding his hoodie above her head, it wasn't much help but she considered his intentions. And above all, he didn't get the hood back in the rain; he pulled so she could protect her head from the drops while he was getting cold and soaked in rain. Her mind drifted away again.

He defended her always, stood by her side no matter what, he got upset when she got hurt and took care of her when she got sick. He was kind, generous, loyal, gentleman and most of all, a great friend. He would listen to her angst and also joys, he would just be there, he never made fun of her hyperactive soul or excitement over silly stuff (like buying a thing that would turn bananas into ice cream).

She couldn't even _try_ to think about a life where there was nothing of him.

And then it hit her. _Hard_.

Mother.

Of.

God.

She was in love with Marco.

Star was in the point of no return or regret, where she couldn't try to get off the feeling nor runaway now that she realized her true feelings. She had fallen hard, way too hard. And there was no ground to stop her or her heart. She tried to see things ahead, maybe that would clear her mind of such insane idea.

But no.

Marco _could_ be a king. He would have no difficulties on that, both a knight and kind soul. He would rule by her side, keeping her at control when she begin to lost herself at tension, talk to her to solve a problem on the best way, defend the kingdom and citizens if a time of fight come... He _could_ be a king and that was more scaring and insane! She was beside her candidate to king this whole time and didn't notice?! How come she didn't thought about how good it would be being by his side for the rest of her life, to rule a kingdom with him, to keep being able to come and go between Earth and Mewni, to be the bond between dimensions and…

When did her fall in love with him?! Now that she was aware of it, Star realized she loved him way too much for a long time.

"Star, are you alright?" Marco asked when he realized the way she was staring at him. Star looked up to see they were under a roofing of a local shop and then looked back at her friend.

"Uh? Oh. Yeah, I'm just surprised at the heavy downpour." She smiled then began to spin around herself, open arms and looking up. "It's raining men, halleluiah!" Star singed and Marco laughed at her.

"It's not raining men." He said, gentle eyes and sweet smile.

"I know, I just don't know other songs with rain." She replied.

"Come here." He said extending his arm to her. Star took a little run, jumping on his arm, giggling while she tangled his arm with both hers and he exclaimed surprised "Woah, why are you so happy suddenly?" He asked curious.

"It's raining. That's all!" She smiled and pushed him to begin to walk. "I love rain, you know that!"

"Yeah... I don't think it we'll have a rainbow today, since the sun just set."

"I can make rainbows wherever I want!" She jumped and took the Wand and was about to make a rainbow when Marco stopped her.

"Please, no fire rainbows!"

"You know I can control it now. It's been _years_ since I made a fire rainbow."

"It was _before yesterday_ , Star, and you know it. I know you made that on purpose."

"Details, details…" She rolled her eyes and pulled him tried to get going "Let's go, Marco! Your mother will make hot chocolate for us because we were out in the rain!"

"So _that's_ why you got so happy."

"I'm happy about a lot of things." She replied.

 _I'm in love with you_. That made her happy. Marco would never break her heart.

"Now, let's go!" She pulled his by the arm running under the rain.

"Ok!" He laughed before he got the hoodie to protect both of them while running. His rosy cheeks because of cold and running, hers because of this new found feeling in her chest.

Oskar was right; she was in love with Marco.

And to be in love with her best friend was the best thing that happened to her until then.

.

.

.

On next morning, Star was getting her books for the next class when someone called her. The princess turned around and waved with a smile at the skater girl. Jackie stopped in front of her smiling and took the skate on her hands.

"Hey, Jackie!"

Jackie give a sheepish smile "Are you alright after yesterday?"

"Yeah… Thanks for holding Marco outside, by the way." The princess said returning the same kind of smile.

"No problem." Jackie shrugged. "I thought it would be better, Marco would only get in the way of your problem with Oskar…"

Star giggled on the relief that it didn't happen "You're right about that."

"But…" Jackie continued, suddenly a concerned face took over the ever so relaxed girl. "I thought it was a couple fight, not a break up… Why did you broke up with him?"

"I…" Star sighed. "Don't wanna talk about it."

Jackie shifted the weight from one foot to the other, looking thoughtful. When Star was about to walk away to her next class and dismiss the topic, the skater girl spoke again.

"It has anything to do with you going back to Mewni?"

* * *

 _Jackie knows it all~~_

 _Ok, so about the rain scene, please TELL ME IF IT BEGIN TO RAIN WHILE YOU WERE READING IT. I'm not kidding, every time I opened this file to edit it would rain, even when my illustrator did it happened! I'm really scared of the witchcraft into that scene O.o_

 _Anyway, this is the chapter where both my beta readers turned from Ostar shipper into Starco shippers 4life lol_

 _I hope you have liked! On my and Lyoko's DA you might find some images of the chapters :)_

 _See you in next chapter!_

 _hugs*_

 _~-ArtGirlLullaby_


	4. After Class

_Thank you all the support, reviews and follows! I can't put one by one right now because I need to go to class, but I'll do it soon as I can!_

 _I hope you enjoy this!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: After Class**

Star led Jackie to the school backyards; anxious and tense about the whole thing. How in the name of heavens she knew about getting back to Mewni? Had Oskar told her? Oh Lord, she should have told him to keep a secret; she completely forgot to tell him he wasn't supposed to tell anyone!

"Shouldn't we be at class?" Jackie asked when there was no one else in the backyard.

"Oh, it's fine. I got it covered up" Star smiled.

While in classroom Marco looked at the balloons marking Star and Jackie's places. Just balloons with smiley faces and a wig on top of it, Jackie's even got a blue crepe paper on it.

" _Really_?" Marco wondered out loud with a deadpan face.

The teacher looked at Star and Jackie balloons "Star and Jackie present."

"They're not even in class!" Brittany complained "How can you give presence on the balloons?!"

"They put them there, they are here somewhere at school and had enough work to put the balloon just to say they're in class even though it's _obvious_ they're not. It's final weeks after _four years_ of getting this once in a while, I don't care anymore…" The teacher replied and begun the lessoning class right after.

Star giggled thinking about the annoyed face Marco should do in the moment he saw the balloons. Then, she took a deep breath and gave her attention to Jackie again.

"Okay…" Star sighed "First things first, how do you know about me going back to Mewni?"

"Well…" Jackie shifted her weight from one foot to other and begins to count on her fingers. "Marco said you were acting weird, you talked to your mother, you broke up with Oscar – despite you guys didn't fight or anything, you're a princess from another dimension, we are about to graduate, you mastered the wand and your birthday it's coming soon too… I linked the facts." Jackie shrugged and looked at a bewildered Star.

"Wha… How?! Just How?!" Star asked.

"I watched a lot of Scooby Doo when I was a kid…" Jackie shrugged "And Gravity Falls… And CSI, Cold Case, Castle, Martin Mystery, Carmen Sandiego, you got it, right?" She smiled a bit ashamed.

Start frowned in pure confusion "What is a Scooby Doo?"

Jackie gave a sheepish laugh and shook her head "Oh, just forget about it. What I meant is that I love mysteries and I'm actually good with clues, puzzles and things like that… It wasn't hard to me to figure out what was going on."

"So…" Star said kicking a small rock on the ground. "Oscar didn't tell you?"

"Nope. I _did_ asked him but all he said was 'you better ask her' and nothing more."

Star smiled thankful to Oscar keeping her secret, even when she didn't say to. He had consideration enough to not go talking about it to everyone, he probably knew her enough to know she was keeping this as a secret because she wanted to be the one to tell…

"So…" Jackie said trying to get Star attention back. "What _exactly_ is going on?"

Star looked up to the blond girl; she knew Jackie enough to know she wouldn't tell anyone, but that didn't make things easier. The princess gave sad sigh looking down again dropping her shoulders "You better sit down."

.

.

.

Marco was walking towards his house with a jumpy Star around him. She seemed really bright about something, but every time he asked she would answer "I'm happy about a lot of things!" and that (from Star) was nothing new.

When he met the blondies after class, all they said is that there was a girl problem, but that it was already solved. That inquired him, but as much as he pushed to any of them giving him any answer, they kept avoiding the topic. On lunch-break, Star got on the edge when she exclaimed girls didn't like talking about their periods in public.

And that made him shut up for the rest of the day about their absence.

As the bell ring, Marco asked if Jackie would hang out at the new arcade where Ferguson, Alfonso and Janna were hanging out lately. Weirdly the girl tensed up and gave him a sad smile.

"I have something to do today, sorry."

"It's ok" He shrugged "We can go another day… You want help?" He offered.

"It's about college."

Marco tensed up. He had to admit he hasn't thought about Jackie's offer. It was a good offer since he had nothing holding him up on Echo Creek; also because he would go with someone and they would be stranger there together, it would be easier to both and there was also all the bills they could share to help each other…

It was indeed a good offer that he hadn't even a single thought about it.

He knew better than to lie or avoid the topic with Jackie, so he admitted on shame his absence of mind "Oh… Sorry I haven't thought about it yet"

"It's ok." She got up "I have to give a few documents and look out for my passport, so I can't do it today. If everything goes right, I'll already have a place there ready for me when we graduate." She smiled excited.

"That's awesome! Good Lucky then!" He waves while heading to the door where Star was waiting him.

"And Marco…" He looked back to Jackie over his shoulder. "Enjoy these days with Star, ok? She needs your support." He smiled a bit.

"Yeah…" He smiled sheepishly "I guess break ups are never easy."

"That's not all…" Jackie murmured.

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" She smiled. "See ya!"

"See you later!"

Now he was at his door house, Star got in quickly like there was fire on the street and Marco just rolled his eyes. Four years and she still behave the same way. He looked over the table and found a note; his parents went to grocery shopping and left their lunch on the oven, so it wouldn't cool off too fast.

"Star!" Marco called her heading to the kitchen "Mom and dad are out. Our lunch is on th-Oh…" He exclaimed when he saw Star was already eating her portion.

She shrugged, still munching her food "I was hungry."

"How did you even knew that was for you?" Star simply lifted a Tupperware lid with a note written 'Star' on the top "Oh, I guess that answers it."

"Yours is in the oven" She said and kept eating.

Marco got his, heating up before taking his place in front of Star. He pondered about Jackie's offer while eating.

The university she decided was a nice place to go, the beach, the weather and danger, all things she loved and was used to. Also, he really didn't catch any interest at any courses at universities close by had offered, maybe there would be something for him, he _did_ feel like he needed a change of scene…

Not that he haven't gone a _lot_ of scenes traveling with Star into dimensions, but that was another story.

If he stayed, he would still to find something to do. He liked being a teacher at karate, but he couldn't be that forever. Even if he loved his part-time job, Marco felt that if he did that every single day, in few years he would get tired of it and lost all the interest. It was a something he loved, but not to spend the rest of his life doing that out of living.

With that possibility erased, he didn't have anything holding him there at home.

"Marco, are you ok?"

He lifted his gaze upon Star's voice and looked at her concerned face.

 _Star._

He got Star there. How he's supposed to leave her out of nothing with no one and nowhere? She knew a lot of people, but it was different. They were partners and best friends; they got each other back… If he leaves, who would be there for her?

Marco also was the one who always were looking out for the princess on the same way she was for him. He was there when she got her first cold, Star who fixed his arm (also known as turned into a monster arm), he helped her when she first got rejected by Oscar, and she helped him when he broke up… How he could leave her behind?

He waved the fork on the air to dismiss her worries "Yeah, I just got a lot in my mind."

"If you say so" She got up with her plate, taking the dish to the sink.

He couldn't leave her; that was clear to him. So if he couldn't leave her then… She could go? Well, that seems better. She would love that place too! The nature, the attractions, the college parties and everything else… But why inviting Star while Jackie invited him felt so… _Wrong?_ The two of them were friends, Jackie was almost like a sister to Star, and they were good friends since long ago. He, Jackie and his best friend; Ponyhead also would love the college parties with all the crazy stuff on that place; it was so different from Mewni things…

 _Mewni_.

Star got Mewni to take care of. She couldn't go to California when she had to take care of her kingdom. She was still to go back and prepare to take the Crown and…

Why was he thinking about what was better for Star when that had to do with him (and partially Jackie)?

"Seriously, are you all right?" Star asked above her shoulder while drying the dishes.

"Just… Give me a minute." He replied low.

Marco hold his head on his hands, massaging his temple to try to think straight again. He was worried on the well-being of his friend, nothing wrong with that, right? Even if she couldn't go to College with him, she could go back to Mewni…

Star _had_ to go back to Mewni; he always knew that. The real question was _when._

It was so long he didn't quite remember what the deal was. It was for study? Once she learned everything she could to improve Mewni? It was until she was ready to become a queen? After college? After high school? After she… Why everything keeps going back to Star?!

A water balloon exploded on his head and Marco jumped out of his chair.

"Star! What was that for?!" He exclaimed getting up.

"You tell me. You're thinking so much your head was on fire"

"I agree with the girl." They both looked at his side and the Monster Arm mark appeared. "You're thinking way too much. Just ask her and solve things."

Star made a face "Ask me what?"

"Nothing" Marco replied "I'm still thinking some things about college."

"Oh… Right" Star tensed a bit, but before he could say anything else she begun to walk out the kitchen. "I promised Ponyhead I would call her, so I'll be in my room if you need anything!" And then she stormed out the room.

"That was weird" Marco said to no one in particular.

"You should talk to her, she's hiding something. Even I know that!" Monster Arm said.

"How could you known that?"

"Remember the first time you got a girlfriend and she felt left out? She went straight to talk with Ponyhead about it."

"They're best friends." Marco rolled his eyes "They talk all the time about a lot of things, I just happened to be walking by her door on the right time that day."

Marco did remember. Star was distant him, but he thought it was some girl stuff. On that day when he heard her talking to Ponyhead, he found out she was _avoiding_ him; because his ex-girlfriend was jealous and pretty obsessive about him. She made Star think that she would be the one thing it would ruin his relationship and his life would be ruined – all because of her. When he confronted the problematic girl, things were a mess and he broke up right after the discussion (Well, to be fair he never was really dating her, it just turned out that he couldn't say no and she freaked out thinking they would get married… It was really creepy). And then he found out she was somewhat of alien hybrid.

Yep; his life never was supposed to be normal (And yes, he did have nightmares about that).

She chased after the dimensional princess to fight over his heart (he never understood why that was necessary). They won the fight, the girl went away to wherever-she-had-come-from and afterwards they came back to be as before. Star promised to tell him everything, so they could figure out any kind of trouble together, even if there was nothing to do with the other.

Why would she keep a secret from him?

"Man, I would change clothes. You're soaked and I don't want to be sick again"

"Thanks for your concern, dear _arm of mine_." Marco stated sassy as ever.

"You're welcome, boy."

Marco went upstairs in the direction of his room. He tried to recollect what he was thinking right before Star thrown water balloon on him, but it was gone. Just like a dream you have, but forget right at the moment you open your eyes. He grunted in frustration. It felt he had got into an important conclusion, but now that was far from getting recollected.

"Stop overthinking" Monster Arm said "It annoys me."

 _How ironic_. "Monster Arm?" she said looking at the purple marks.

"Yeah?"

He pinched the mark with force, the parasite exclaimed in pain and Marco let go right after (it still hurts since it was his own arm) "No talking."

And the mark was gone in silence.

.

.

.

Star bounced slightly on the carpet where she sat holding a heart shaped pillow, giggling into her own happiness "So… After that moment I think… No, I'm pretty sure I am in love with him."

" _Nooo waaay, Gurl!_ " Ponyhead exclaimed from the magical mirror once Star told her everything that happened the few days they haven't talked.

"I _know_!" She muffled her giggles on the pillow.

Ponyhead made a deadpan face " _B-fly, I was being sarcastic. I knew that since ages ago._ "

Star let go of the pillow and stared at her best friend "What?!" She almost screamed as her jaw drops on the floor "And you told me _nothing_?!"

" _I thought you were_ _ **lazy**_ _, not_ _ **blind**_ _._ " Ponyhead rolls her eyes.

"You could have told me when you realized!"

" _I could make a thousand things, but you know_ " Ponyhead make a movement that looked like a shrug " _I only do_ _ **bad**_ _choices_." She laughed after and so did Star.

"Ok, you're forgiven." She hugged the pillow again.

"So when it's the date?" Ponyhead asked.

"I…" Star looked and the dot stamp her pillow had. "Kinda of… Haven't told him yet…"

" _ **Now you what?!**_ " Ponyhead screamed " _I gotta rip the dimensions only to put some sense into your head!_ "

"Shh!" Star shushed her friend. "I just don't know how to talk to him yet! I'm trying but it's so hard!" The blonde ruffled her hair "And also there's the Mewni thing, it's all so complicated!"

Star dropped herself on the carpet, covering her eyes with her hands.

Now there were two things she was meant to talk with Marco about it. One, she loved him. Two, she's going back to Mewni… God, even the order to talk could make all the difference. What was better? An 'Hey, Marco! I love you but I'm going back to Mewni' or the 'So, I'm going back to Mewni. Oh, by the way, I love you'?

" _Gurl…_ " Ponyhead said unamazed " _You're a mess._ "

"When am I not?" She huffed and looked back to the reflection of her friend, still laying down the floor. "What do I do?"

" _Well, you need to talk to him, that's for sure…_ " Ponyhead looked thoughtful for a moment " _You need to tell him two things completely different. One affects the other and there's no changing in both… How serious your mother was?_ "

Star sighed "Royalty serious", Ponyhead gave a sigh. She hated when her mother took the situation on the royalty side, because that always meant things were _bad_. Last time she saw her mother speaking like that, was when she and Marco decided to go against the forces of Evil…

And that was a huge thing.

" _Star, what's wrong? You should be happy coming back home." Her Mother asked concerned._

" _It's just…" Star sighed. "Earth became like my second home, the Diaz are like Godparents to me…"_

" _You belong to Mewni, my dear."_

" _I know…" She looked at her window. "But I also belong to Earth now after everything."_

 _Her mother looked troubled by what she said. When Star looked back, her mother had a kind of look Star only saw once in her life…_

 _When she broke the Wand to save Marco._

" _Mom?" Star called her worried._

 _Queen Butterfly gripped her own hands a bit harder and took a deep breath. "Star… If you really feel like that, I'm really sorry to be the one to give this bad news to you…"_

Star swallowed a hiccup. She would not cry out anxiety again like that night. She sniffed, taking breath and slow calming breaths to sit up again, Ponyhead still looked thoughtful.

" _Gurl…_ " Ponyhead begin slowly " _The only thing I can think is that you should tell him you like him; enjoy your time while it lasts and then 'bye bye'… But that's harsh on both of you._ "

"There…" Star begin, she gulped before continuing "There _is_ an option."

" _What is it?_ " Ponyhead asked confused. Star played with her fingers before looking up; her best friend got the message and got surprised " _Woah, you like him_ _ **that**_ _much?!_ "

"I do." The princess hugged her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.

Ponyhead snickered " _He will_ _ **never**_ _hear that from me, but… He would do an awesome king._ "

"You won't be against?" Star asked surprised.

" _Whaaaaat? You're kidding, B-fly? Earth Turd has your heart. I'm by your side whatever decision you take. I know you always do your decision on the best you can think._ " Ponyhead smiled " _You go, Girl!_ "

"Ok… I'm gotta tell him." Star reassured herself of her own decision.

And then there was his voice calling her at the door. "Star?"

"OMG, there he is!" Star hushed already giving up her perfect plan of telling him anything.

" _It's ok! You can do it! Pretend I'm not here on the mirror with the video off hearing everything you guys talk at all, ok? Ok, love you too!_ " And then the image came off.

Star screamed desperate in her mind, she took a breath and turned to the door. She would do it. She would talk to him. She would confess. She would accept anything he would give her. She would just…

Not freak out.

"Come in!" Star said getting up and cleaning invisible dust from her dress.

Marco got in ruffling his wet hair with a towel, he had changed to blue jeans pants and a white shirt with a dorky nerd joke stamped on along with the game character. She stopped breathing, her face heat up when she realized he just got off the shower. It never was a problem, but now her feelings couldn't stop her mind from imagining _things_.

 _Oh God, no! That was so wrong!_

"We have homework, I wanted to remind you before you slip to Olga" He said still ruffling his hair.

"Oh yeah!" She said feeling her cheeks getting hot "Marco, I need to talk to you…"

"Hold on…" He got the towel out his hair into his shoulders "Ok, what is it?"

Everything; simply _every single thing_ , theory, possibilities, chances and hopes Star got in mind, vanished at the tingling sound; and then, when she saw that chain and the pendant.

On was a key shaped pendant very simple, but meaningful. He got that one some time ago, she was super happy because it made official his new relationship. Marco was so bright on that day, shiny and bouncing more than she ever guessed he would. Her friend would keep playing the object on his fingertips without noticing – until it became a habit.

And of course, there was a girl wearing a heart with a key whole pedant.

Star wasn't that girl.

She could never got any competition with the other who had the complementary pendant. Not only because there was no room to compete for his heart, but also because she didn't want that. The girl was everything Marco could ever dream to have in his life, he was happy and loved. Kingdom, crowns, gold, responsibilities and even her deep love for him couldn't have a chance against that.

She felt her cheeks getting normal again, they continued decreasing the temperature on it until Star felt cold. She wondered if her marks could betray her somehow (hopefully not).

"Star, you are ok?" Marco asked concerned.

"Oh, yeah!" She shook her head "I just got into a thought, but never mind" smiled brightly at him.

Marco frowned at the princess "You sure?" The princess nodded "Ok, so what did you need?"

"Can you help me with physics? You know I never get that right" She smiled sheepishly.

"Sure" He shrugged "But you need to learn it."

Star laughed "I got Chemistry covered, I think it's enough."

"You use that on spells. That is cheating."

"How using what you learn to an everyday thing is cheating? Just because I use it on magic?" She teased him.

"Argh, good point." He grunted. "I'll get my books and notes and be right back, ok?"

"Take your time" she crooned.

As soon as Marco stepped out the room and the door clicked when the princess closed it, Ponyhead image appeared on the mirror again and looked annoyed at her best friend.

" _Gurl, what was that?! He was right there! You could have said; it was the perfect moment! What…_ "

"I forgot…" Star murmured interrupting.

" _Forgot what?!_ "

"I forgot…" Star slowly turned to the other princess "I forgot he was into a relationship."

" _Whaaaat… But didn't he break up with the Outer space crazy?_ " Ponyhead said confused.

"That was way long ago. It's someone else. I…" She gasped "I got so happy about my feelings and him, with all the thoughts and possibilities that I forgot to think this through his point of view…" She gave a nervous laugh. "This is horrible… _I_ am horrible."

" _B-fly…_ "

"I mean…" She looked up, but not exactly to Ponyhead "What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he doesn't want any of this? What if doesn't want to become a king? What if he doesn't want any of this messy life I have right now? What if I ruin it everything?"

" _You don't know that Star…_ " Her friend tried to encourage her and give some confidence.

But the princess was beyond that point to be comforted. "Oh my God, I almost ruined everything!" She exclaimed "I can't…"

" _Star…?_ " Ponyhead called her again trying to get her attention. This time, Star was getting calm and it worried her, that wasn't a good signal.

"I can't tell him about my feelings."

Ponyhead stared at the princess worried " _No! Star, you must tell him!_ "

"I won't." Star stated. "That's final. That's my decision; I'll never tell him about what I feel."

" _But, B-fly!_ "

"I'm sorry I worried you about this, Ponyehad. It's fine." She sniffed and took a deep breath "It really is…"

" _How can you be_ _ **fine**_ _?_ "

"I just… I'll let things be as they are" She shrugged and took a deep breath once again to voice it out as it would reassure herself "Marco will never know about any of this."

.

.

.

Both teenagers were on Star's bed; she laid flat on her stomach, looking through a book absently, Marco's legs spread cross his books and notes. He was trying to study, but it was beyond impossible when he was annoyed (yet again) by Star's tension.

He knew there was nothing to do with the final exams, even if she pretended that pretty well. If he hasn't paid attention, he would say she was studying.

Well, that and the fact the book she supposedly reading were turned upside down.

"Ok…" He said leaving his pen aside as he adjusted himself to cross his legs on her bed "We can do this on the easy or the hard way…"

"What you mean?" Star said pretending to keep reading.

Marco took the book from her hand and held it right on her face so she would actually look at the book and not just pretend.

"This..." He said while turning on the upright position right in front of her eyes "It's upside down."

"Oh..." She said a bit nervous while trying to find an excuse for her failed attempt to look cool "And here I thought Earth had some language I haven't learned."

Yep. Good. _Smooth_. It was normal for her to think that, right? She wasn't from Earth. She knew there were hundreds of languages, Marco even knew another one (and God, it was so good and kinda sexy hear him speak Spanish. It was somehow passionate and lovely and... She couldn't describe it better than to say she felt like kissing him senseless), so... It was a safe excuse, right?

One look at his deadpan face and she knew. No, it wasn't cool. Marco saw right through her and he knew she was lying, that she didn't even knew what the book was about.

"Nice try" he said putting the book aside along with their notes and other books, so none of them were between them "What's going on?"

"It's nothing… I guess I'm still a bit sad that Oscar broke up with me." Ok, the _break up_ was a good excuse to avoid confessing her feelings to him. She already got in mind to never tell him and move on.

" _You_ were the one who broke up" Marco reminded her "Which, by the way, you never told me why."

"I just didn't feel it anymore, like… in love. I felt like it became something I just... Had. Like routine. I guess I didn't want a relationship like that"

That wasn't a lie. She did begin to think their routine and date was becoming boring. She would stick to his band or he would go to watch movies with her, once in a while they would eat some junky food to say it was a dinner, but it never got more than that.

Her best friend kept looking at her and thought about his own relationship, just before brushing aside. It was time for Star.

"But why are you sad? You have been like that for a while…"

It was time. They were alone, she could talk to him and get through it, and they would make up and spend her final days on Earth together... As friends. She should tell him she would leave.

"Marco, I..." She looked up at him and their eyes meet.

That's when she realized she couldn't do it. She _can't_. Marco was basically everything she loved. She was his confident and best friend. He was the boy she loved and... She just couldn't say. Even if the words were true, even if she knows she _has_ to tell him, even if she tries to say... Her voice doesn't say the words, her body doesn't obey her and her mind doesn't let her go there...

Just few seconds later with her mouth open she realized: it's not only about talking. Star couldn't _stand_ the thought of live the rest of her life without Marco's presence. She just couldn't even try to imagine how it would be. She just knows it will hurt.

Really bad.

"I can't tell you" She admits.

"Aw, come on! You almost did!"

"I really can't" She apologizes "I know I _have_ to and you _should_ know... But I can't bring myself to say it."

Marco though for a few moments, looking at her body and thinking about her behaviors, then he gasped and put both hands on his mouth, eyes shining while he got into a conclusion.

"Are you pregnant?" He said thrilled.

"What?! No!" She screamed embarrassed and throw a pillow at him "Why would you think that?! And what is that disappointed look on your face?!"

Marco shrugged pushing the pillow on his face aside "I dunno, I just thought. It would be funny to take care of your child bouncing around the house" He laughed "But at least it eased your worries"

Star looked at him surprised, but then she smiled. It was something to expect from Marco. Sweet, loyal, caring and dear, Marco.

 _There_ ; smile gone.

"You're still tense" He observed.

"I can't help it."

"Well, I can."

Star blushed and then looked at him. Marco was on his knees with both hands in the air like claws on her direction. A nervous smile made yay to her lips; she knew what he planned to do.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a nervous laugh.

"Nothing, just an evil plan to ease your tension…"

"Marco," She said already understanding where this leads, "if you're not going to massage me, I suggest you to not even _try_ to do what you plan to do."

"I bet you will scream" He singed getting closer as she crawled backwards until her back was on the headboard.

The Wand was on the chiffonier beside him, any movement to get it and she was trapped, but if she didn't try he would do it anyway "I bet I'm gonna break your arm."

Marco shrugged "Monster Arm it's here for this."

The tattoo appeared just to exclaim a happy "Yes, I am!" and turn back to be imperceptible in his arm.

Star knew that any jolt and she would end up right on his trap. His arms where ready to get her any moment (it would be kind of tempting at any other situation) and it would all be gone. The princess couldn't hold the nervous grin against his evil one… She had to escape, but her wand was on the other side and he would catch her before he could reach it.

But it was worth a try.

Star jumped to get the wand, but Marco held her waist and threw her on the bed again, his hands immediately attack her belly making Star laugh out loud. She tried to hold, but it was impossible, Marco knew all the places she felt tickles. If she got his hand out of a place, it would be in another week spot. As his hands continued tickling her non-stop, the laugh became louder, her lungs were missing air and tears tempted her eyes.

 _Argh, such an unfair fight!_

She was fighting vigorously, so Marco was also getting tired too. In one moment he was trying to avoid her pushes, she made him lost balance and fell to the side; it was enough to separate them and she reached out for the wand breathlessly, but Marco was faster.

"No magic!" He exclaimed reaching for her hand, he hold her wrists pulling her away from the wand and then pushed her to the mattress again, holding both her wrists next to her head in case she tried to escape.

Then _he_ was on a trap.

He was right above her. Face to face, her hair was around her like a halo (well, a messed halo), she was breathless, cheeks red of the absence of air, the cheek marks were changing from a smiley to the normal hearts again, her blue half-lidded eyes were watching his brown ones with a bit of the laughing tears, observing all of him with full attention.

God, why he couldn't just move and stop that awkward moment? He just _couldn't_! Star's eyes were hypnotizing, were they always this deep color of blue?

He kept looking at her; a bit of breathless, sweating, looking at her like she was an entirely new being... She didn't know if she should be grateful or curse the fact her hands being trapped on the mattress with his hands. If they were free she would have raised them, only to hold his face and pull him down and kiss him (like she wished to do since a while ago), but this could mess up everything they had, so she was glad and also frustrated.

Marco kept looking at her eyes, wondering why he had this weird feeling on his chest all of suddenly. Then for some reason of the universe, his eyes had not paying this much attention of her eyes, but to her lips.

 _What was he thinking?!_

She was his _friend_! His best friend and she had broken up with her boyfriend recently; he shouldn't be looking like that at such delicate, pink and soft lips… Star had kissed him on his cheek innumerous times, but now he was wondering how it felt to actually kiss them; her lips against his, dancing together and…

 _God, what kind of thought was that?!_

Star realized they were in that compromising position more time than they should, his eyes watching her face from close and… God, why couldn't he just low his head a bit more so she could kiss him?

Just _kiss me…_

The boy above her looked in a deep though for a moment his eyes trying to catch something on hers. His mind was blank; all he could think was how he wanted to be in that moment. Marco moved slightly approaching her a bit, Star slow blinked at him and he stopped for a second before deciding to go further and lean on her.

And then, the phone rang.

Both of them got out of trance suddenly, the sudden and tense awkwardness eating them alive. Marco blushed and froze in the position, causing something to move on between them, Star lowed a bit of her gaze to see what had moved…

The shiny key pendant glinted between them.

How could she allow that? She couldn't let Marco do that, or ask for anything, or even _think_ anything like that… Burned by slight guilt, Star was the first to do something.

She pushed him aside and getting up, laughing at the awkwardness to avoid any kind of conversation. "Wow, the phone… Ha, still ringing... I-I should get it…" She stuttered and mentally scolded herself "Yeah, right… Uh, coming!" She screamed to the noise even if that couldn't stop it and no one would answer to her.

Marco sat still on her bed, trying to figure out what was that intense moment out of space. He took a hold of the key on his fingers out of habit and looked at nowhere in particular while thinking.

Something was happening to Star; that was for sure, but something was happening with him too. And he didn't know if was because of her or himself. Everything in his life keeps going back to her for some reason.

And now, they had that moment. Star didn't realized that even though her voice didn't make a noise, her lips moved and formed words, he understood and in the moment he just acted the way the moment allowed, but now that he could think straight… He doesn't know what to do.

Her lips said "Kiss me"

And now he can't stop thinking about it.

* * *

 _Yes, more cliffhangers :D_

 _Any thoughts on what's to come? :)_

 _*hugs*_

 _~-ArtGirlLullaby_


	5. After Deciding

_Hi everyone! Thank you for keep reading this work of mine, you're dear to me :3_

 _Shout outs to the new followers! Clyo Eliphas Levi, Edgar H. Sutter, ElJeremy98, MadelineHeart, PRS3245 (I hope I did not forget anyone) Thank you!_

 _Another to the favs! MadelineHeart, PRS3245, TheCrossoverGuardian and Trinitor! Thank you!_

 _Also the guests keeping up with this and leaving reviews, and the people who read but keep quietly about it, I love you all anyways!_

 _And now, have this lovely chapter where I bless your souls with a bit of sin. Have fun!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: After Deciding**

He was above her. Her eyes bright as the sky and deep as the sea, heart cheeks glowing slightly, panting for air while her lips – So tempting – keeps moving as she breathes. He looks in awe, until she says those miraculous words. Voiced and strong, but also tender.

"Kiss me."

And he was more than happy to obey.

He freed one of her hands, holding her face gently and lowered his face so his lips could touch hers. One touch of the lips to a quick and gentle kiss, then a second, and so a third, a fourth that took longer; after the fifth he decided that it was best to stop counting and just kiss her like he wanted. Careful to not let his body weight on her, both hands got on her lower scalp, the soft golden locks tangled on his fingers while he was too busy with her lips. A hand hugged him closer, the other one went to his hair and his mind stopped working.

Her hands, her voice, her lips, her perfume, her hair, her skin, her beneath him, her low and cute moans as he keep pushing his lips against hers, her, _her_ , **her**. He was hers to do anything she wanted; he was in no position or mind to think anything. He was all hers. She gasped for air, so he let her recover her breathing and moved to kiss her neck, softly, but full of need.

"Marco" She called in a low voice.

Her voice was so soft, he loved the way she said it. Almost like wanting more, trying to reach in when he was lost on her. "Marco." She called again, this time louder. He couldn't care less after looking the kissing marks on her skin.

He lifted himself again, her eyes on his again, she hold his face lightly, full of tenderness that was so warming and caring. She pulled his face to meet his lips again.

"Marco!"

Marco jolted forward, a shriek coming out as he looked around a confused. That was his room, no doubt; he was on his undercovers and on his pajamas, and all that leads only to one thing on his mind…

Did he just dream about a make out session with his best friend?!

"Are you okay?"

He turned around to meet the blue eyes that he had been dreaming not so long ago. She held such innocence and pureness on them, it seemed just so wrong to even _think_ something like what he dreamed of.

"Yeah… I just had a weird dream." He dismissed scratching hoping he had not said anything weird while sleeping or embarrassing faces.

Star shrugged. "Get up or you will miss breakfast" So she turned around and walked out his room, calling out two laser dogs that went inside with her.

Marco groaned as he fell on bed again. What kind of dream was that? He thought he had enough of these when his were hormones (finally) settling down for good; but apparently he was wrong. He couldn't help himself at that time, he was a teenager living with a girl that was also high on her hormones, that was actually hell to both of them.

And he wasn't even talking about Mewberty.

Both teenagers couldn't control their curiosity or hormone levels, which lead to a friendly distance for a while, until they figured out there was nothing wrong with that as long they didn't break the privacy lines of one to another. So when Marco got uncomfortable with her too close, he would just make a gesture and Star would take a distance for both goods. It was really easier to deal with each other like that and there never were problems. Until now, apparently.

The hormones were a justified and fair reason for those dreams, _now_ he had no excuse. It was just _wrong_ , even if he had no way to stop these dreams or not have them. It wasn't fair with Star too…

" _Kiss me."_

Why she had to say that? Now he couldn't stop thinking on the thing, the moment where he forgot the whole world around them, her lips moving saying the words with no voice. Maybe it was that moment that caused those weird fantasies with his best friend to come back.

Marco got up the took his change of clothes to take a shower, the moment he got his shirt over his head, he felt the cool metal on his neck and looked down.

Guilty got over him when he looked at the key pendant. He should resolve things soon or this could be result into a heart broken and he didn't want that. Not to him, not to the girl who had the heart with a keyhole, not to (possibly) Star; not to any of them.

He really needs talk to Star.

.

.

.

.

Ok, he had to talk with her, but with her avoiding him on unimaginable ways, it was most likely _impossible_.

He did had a bit of fault because he got late to get out the shower and that resulted into him running down stairs (trying to put one of his shoes and tripping while doing so), get up just to get a toast and then pulling Star by her wrist to get the bus, thankfully she was holding both backpacks, if wasn't for that he would have forgotten his at home.

The thing was that as soon she gave his backpack; Star sprinted away to the back of the bus and sat with Janna. Marco looked behind bewildered since there was a free sit beside him. He sent a message to her, she looked at her cellphone, locked and put away again to talk with the dark haired girl.

He was about to get up and confront Star when Jackie got in the bus and sat beside him. "Hey" She smiled, but dropped as soon she noticed his annoyed expression "What's going on?"

"I think Star is avoiding me…"

"Why would she do that?" The blond asked confused.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out"

Unless she also had some blame on what's going on with him… Did she felt sorry or ashamed for that? If that's the reason, then they _really_ needed to talk.

Jackie looked at the princess and the hipster girl, her face in a mix of worry and sadness. What she was doing by avoiding him? She should enjoy their time and solve anything that was there to solve, what was going on in her mind?

" _I'm going back to Mewni" Star stated as soon as Jackie had sit on a bench._

" _Okay, I got that. But, why now?"_

" _I was supposed to come to Earth only to learn how to use the Wand, on somewhere safe and far from the kingdom, so I wouldn't destroy it"_

 _Jackie made a face "Wait, you're telling me that your parents send you here because you were destroying the kingdom, but there was no problem in destroying Earth?"_

" _I don't know." Star lifted her shoulders in doubt "I really don't get until this day why they choose Earth exactly…" She dropped her shoulders and looked at the ground. "I mean, I_ _ **didn't know**_ _... I just found out few days ago."_

" _It has to do with why you have to go back?"_

" _Yes…" Star sighed "Earth is one of the few places into the multi-dimension that isn't so savage and where magic almost doesn't exist. It would be safe for me to train me here because I wouldn't be able to exceed the power of The Wand and there would be nothing to attack me… Or it should have been like that."_

" _What all of this has to do with you going back?" Jackie asked tilting her head to the side._

" _I was supposed to be here as long as I still had to learn how to use The Wand. It was never supposed to take so long, but with the broken wand, saving the dimensions and everything, it took this much time and…" She sighed "Now I had to go back and learn how to rule a kingdom."_

" _I see…" Jackie said softly._

" _Jackie…" Star bit her lower lip before trying to finish. "That's not everything…"_

Jackie got her mind on the present again, looking at Marco that was typing his phone with fervor, annoyed by Star's avoidance. It worried the blond; she would try to talk with the Mewnian later.

It was harder than Jackie would imagine.

When the bus stopped, she and Marco waited for Star outside the bus; the princess looked at them, smiled and stormed off into the school building. Marco and Jackie went to find her, but it was like she was invisible (considering she had The Wand, that wasn't impossible).

When Marco found her again, she was on the other side of the corridor. He called her but her fangirl showed up and was faster to take her to the classroom to talk about the laser kittens Star gave to her a while ago.

In the classroom, he was about to being the talk when the bell rang and – for once – The teacher was right on time; not a second sooner or late. So Marco couldn't talk with Star again was the class begun.

To say he was frustrated was a understatement. He almost felt like crying when the teacher got into the class, getting all the lessons on the board before anything else could be done. He looked beside him; Star seemed to be watching the class with a high attention – Which was unusual. Marco gave a small grunt. She _was_ avoiding him on purpose. He still got one golden card on his sleeve and he would use.

Literally.

.

.

.

As soon as the bell to lunch was heard, Star tried to run to the door again. But then Marco was faster, jumping over his table and calling out the enchantment; one second later the Mewnian was in the air with a perplexed look at him. Monster Arm was holding holding both arms and legs, making it impossible to escape.

"Hello, Princess!" Monster Arm smiled at her.

"Really Star, you can't run away forever" Marco said exasperated.

Ever so calmly, Star looked at Monster Arm, at the wand, then back at Marco, and then replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I can try." Then she opened her wings, Monster Arm let go of her by the shock and she took the chance to use The Wand, spelling one enchant to make it go back to the way it was. Marco gaped and Star when out flying on the _freaking Mewnian wings he forgot she had_.

"That's cheating!" Marco screamed and get out the classroom to go after her.

"Try me." Star replied, not slowing down.

"Star! Get over here!"

So they were running all around school. People just got out the way, no one tried to stop both teenagers from running around; after years, they got used with them chasing something (being each other or not). A good thing of all adventures and saving the universe (and alternative dimensions) was that it gave a good shape to Marco; that included strength and speed (sadly, no flying). He would have to defeat Star on strategy.

Marco got her on a corner, jumping and supporting himself on air by his arms and legs; he trapped her against the wall. Star looked at him surprised and he grinned.

"Got'cha!" She looked down him, coming down suddenly and getting out the trap by passing down his legs. "Star!" He called her and grunted when she didn't give any attention; back to the chase.

Star went flying into open air, observing school from the high to try capture where Marco was. He wasn't on the garden, backyards, on the corridors… Maybe he had given up and went to eat lunch with Jackie and the guys? She hoped so.

The princess descended slowly to the roof, landing beside the closed entrance where she and Marco talked other day. She sighed loudly. It was tiring running away from your best friend when he doesn't get the message you can't even look at his face for the moment… and would still have to run away from him at home. _Ugh, just perfect_.

All of sudden, someone grabbed her shoulders from behind and pushed her against the wall. She let out a shriek and got The Wand on attack position, ready to blow up the attacker's head. When she saw the annoyed face of Marco, she whined and looked anywhere to find an escape route.

There were none.

"Stop. Running. Away!" Marco exclaimed highly frustrated.

"How did you get here?!" She exclaimed back.

"Don't change the subject!"

She looked at him confused, and then clarified with wide open and curious eyes. "I'm not. I'm really curious to know how you get here."

"Monster Arm." He said shrugging to the direction of the now open door.

She blinked at the now open door were he slipped through "Oh, I didn't know he could do that…"

"Neither did I"

Star smiled at the door, there was the escape route! As if reading her mind, Marco's grip on her shoulders got tighter. "Don't even think about that."

"Marco, I got to…"

Suddenly his hands were on her face, holding both sides she wouldn't look away. He pulled her so close that his nose was almost touching hers, faces centimeters apart. She could feel his raged breathing on her and his brown deep eyes staring at hers straight to her soul.

"Star; Talk to me!"

That was too much, Star's brain fried. Her legs felt weak, she couldn't stand up anymore, so she gave in. As she crouched, both of his hands let go of her face by the surprise of her actions, her hands went to her face to hide herself as if would make her invisible, a whine escaped as her heart cheeks went in combustion. Marco watched her in pure confusion.

When Marco realized she wouldn't say a thing, a sigh escaped his lips and he also crouched in front of her. "Star, we can't live the rest of your lives without talking. We need to work this out…" He felt his own cheeks go warm as the memory of what happened went back to his mind "We… We got into the heat of the moment and I know you probably regret that…" Star mumbled something between her hands which Marco only understood something that sounded like ' _Ones_ '. He made a face. "What?"

"Hormones" Star said without moving her hands out of her lips, but her face still hiding "Your hormones are reacting to me."

"What do you mean?" He asked even more confused.

"I…" Star sighed lowering her hands, but still avoiding his eyes "I'm making your hormones react to me…" When she saw he was still clueless, her face went red and she hugged her legs. "My pheromones are making your hormones react to me and… _Attracting_ you."

He double blinked once. Then once again. _Pheromones?_ Isn't that what bugs and animals used to mating? "Star, you can't-Oh…" Marco stopped talking when Star moved her wings to prove her point. She was a Mewnian; there were differences as humans and her kind, maybe she did have pheromones that… How that worked again? "Can you… explain?"

Star supported her back on the wall and let go of her legs to look at Marco. "Mewnian pheromones can react to a few things; one of them is happiness. It makes the hormones of the males react to us so we…"

"I don't get it"

Star gave a frustrated grunt. "Marco, what are pheromones for?"

"To attract male species to reproduction… Oh…" Marco blushed harder at the realization of what that implicated "Why you never mentioned this before?!"

"It's embarrassing! Can you imagine how it's to make boys aroused only because I'm _there_? I don't know how to control this yet! And when it affected you yesterday I panicked because you're never affected by this; so I tried to keep my distance, _but you are not helping it!_ "

Marco made a face "Wait; that was what happened yesterday?"

"What else could it be?"

Well, he didn't know about the pheromones thing, so he thought around 101 reasons why he was into that moment and had that hot dream later.

Now that he thought about it, there were times (when his hormones where really high and crazy) that Star got more distance than normal. Or that they're chilling out and suddenly she would get away from him without a word. Maybe she felt he was being affected or she was feeling itself and did it to keep him safe from it. There were also those times that he and Star were walking around and all the boys would begin to look at her like she was an interesting piece from outer space.

Ok, that was not _completely_ wrong.

But the fact they looked at her with eager eyes, was wrong.

Those times resulted in an (even more) protective Marco. He would dis smooth actions to keep the other guys at distance; like putting his arm over her shoulders, one hand in her lower back (like he was guiding her way), or simply glare at the guys that would look away pretending they never landed eyes on her in first place.

Now it makes sense the time that Jeremy had a crush on Star. And Alfonzo. And Justin.

A lot of things make sense now.

"Why you kept running away instead of talking to me?"

Star bit her lower lip and got up, walking to the edge of the building. "I was afraid it hadn't gone away…" She hugged herself "It's a bit terrifying to know you can affect others like that. You could try doing something you would regret and I would feel guilty…"

He widened his eyes and got up too "Like kissing you?"

"Like kissing me" She affirmed and looked at the city. "You had never been affected by this and I freaked out; because I thought that maybe by living with me all these years, you would be immune to it. I guess I was just afraid… This could do something to our friendship"

Marco sighed messing his hair with one hand. He got closer to her. "That wouldn't happen. We are best friends, we can solve anything together." She turned at him, the wind blowing her hair in waves by her side. "If we have a problem, we talk through and get over it; we shouldn't pretend it doesn't exist. We promised to tell each other everything and I'm counting on that promise, Star. We'll always be beside each other, so… Don't run away, ok?" Marco smiled.

She felt like crying. Star wanted to hold him close, tell him how much she loved him, that she would be gone soon and the worst part of it… But she couldn't. She couldn't do any of those things.

So the mewnian just keep looking at him trying to memorize this moment; his hair being messed by the wind, the hoodie with black lines she made for him, his jeans, his smile, that cute mole of his… When she felt it was enough, she gave a deep breath.

"Thank you." She said sincerely. About everything, for being her friend, partner, fight buddy, right hand, and love of her life… Everything she could ask for.

Marco put his hands on the hoodie pockets, lifted one shoulder dismissing the tension of her words "You're welcome."

"You can go ahead, I… Want to make sure the pheromones are down" She replied avoiding his eyes. It was embarrassing talking about that.

"Ok. We are on the hall, join us later" He said walking to the open door and she nodded. He made a face at the entrance, he felt like he was forgetting to discuss something important.

"Oh, don't wait for me when school is over… I need to solve a few things and it will take a while."

"You sure? You don't want a backup?" Marco asked and she denied.

"It's fine. It will take a while, and I know you can't wait to go that new arcade the guys are hanging out" Star smiled at him.

"Ok, see you then."

Star waved until she heard the click on the door. Then she bent on her knees and kept staring at the floor. The weight of her secrets was hurting more after what Marco said. She didn't want to do it. She didn't want that, she never did. Maybe getting out of Mewni was a mistake after all… No. The mistake was Star to become so much attached to Earth and everything there, but she couldn't help herself then.

And she couldn't help herself now.

.

.

.

.

When the bell to the final bell was heard, all students got up and packed their things to go home. Star did it slower, not even looking at anyone. She felt heavy, not for crying again at the rooftop, but because of what she was about to do… The decision she would give to someone that was only _her own_ fault, if she never did that mistake, there was no choice to give.

"See you at home?" Marco asked, she agreed and waved to him.

When she was sure everyone was out the school, Star got her bag and went to the teacher's room. Mrs. Skullnick was reading some kind of book on the back of the room; the other teachers were drinking coffee while talking or correcting lessons. The princess took another deep breath and went to the troll.

"Mrs. Skullnick?" The woman looked above the book at her with and a tedious face. "May I talk to you in private for a minute?"

"Ok, kid" The troll got up and guided her out the teacher's room to one of the empty classrooms. Star looked around to make sure there was no one in the corridors; then she left the door just a few inches open, so she could hear in case some student went back to the class to get something "Spit it out."

Star looked at her feet, kicking one invisible rock as she got closer to Mrs. Skullnick on the teacher's table. "You know… I turned you into a troll by accident. I didn't know anything that could reverse it. I'm sorry for that."

"Don't be" Mrs. Skullnick said "Listen kid, at that time I living a real boring life with no hope for anything, I would live around 30 years, maybe less than that. When you transformed me into a troll, you gave me more 400 years to live. I became young again and I could live and do all the things I wanted. So don't be sorry. You'll never hear this from me ever again and if you tell anyone I'll say t's a lie but, thank you kid." Mrs. Skullnick gave a faint smile.

Star returned with a weak one. "I'm glad you feel like that, but…" the troll woman raised one eyebrow waiting Star complete what she was saying. "Mrs. Skullnick, I must leave Earth after the graduation. I will return to Mewni to become a Queen."

"Congratulations" The troll said confused at the princess acts.

"The thing is…" Star continued "Earth is a dimension where magic almost doesn't exist; but I brought Magic with me. My existence in here already does that. Earth needs to be back on the way it was… So I'll be erasing every trace of magic from Earth until I be gone." Her shoulders tensed as she looked directly at her teacher. "That means… I must turn you back to a human or you must leave with me."

"I see…" The troll looked up and shrugged "Then I will go to the monsters dimension, there's not much for me here anyways" Mrs. Skullnick shrugged.

"There's one more thing" Star said looking at her wand "Since everyone already believes in magic because of me, there's a possibility this makes the magic level continue high on here and the only way to do this is…" Star bit her lip then tried to say again the things her mother told her "I mean… If you leave with me to Mewni, people will… _Everyone_ will…"

Mrs. Skullnick gave a understanding sigh "No one will remember me, right?" Star nodded upset at herself for being unable to voice it out "I understand. This doesn't change my decision, but… Doesn't this mean they will forget you too? Are you fine with that?"

Her hands begun to shake and hold the wand tighter, these would be the very same words she said to Jackie on the day before, when her friend was in shock and trying not to cry "There's nothing to do about it. I'm the princess of Mewni, I have duties to accomplish and this is one of them. I'll leave Earth after the graduation and no one will ever remember there was a girl named Star Butterfly in their lives."

The troll woman got up, she put one hand on Star shoulders and the princess looked up "Are you all right, kid?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to do that… But there's nothing else I can do. I must leave."

Mrs. Skullnick gave her a sad smile, it was obvious the girl was suffering, but just as Star, she couldn't do anything about it. At the most, she could give some weird kind of support. Even so, it was different. The troll got nothing holding her back on Earth, she was found of her students, but they would go ahead with their lives and so would she. Star was different; there were a lot of things she liked there… Like the boy who sits beside her.

"Tell me if you need anything, ok?"

Star gave a nod "Thank you. I'll tell you later how it's going to work, ok?"

Mrs. Skullnick nodded "Well, I better finish the lessons and exams so there will be nothing left to do after I'm gone. See you tomorrow, kid."

"See you in class, Mrs. Skullnick" Star waved.

After the teacher walked out the room, Star sighed heavily. It was tiring (on both emotionally and physically) to talk about that. All the stress and tension with the soon departure definably wasn't any good for her. She tried to get rid of the tension by scratching her back and arms. The princess let out a last sigh, deciding she _needed_ a really long bath with everything the Diaz got to relax.

The princess opened the door and looked at the teacher's room where Mrs. Skullnick probably were. Then she turned to leave school.

Star gasped from shock, her body froze and eyes widened staring at both Alfonso and Ferguson standing in the middle of corridor, their eyes on her in just much shock as she was. The three of them voiceless by different reasons, none of them knew where to begin or what to say in that situation.

What they were at school to begin with?

"Star…" Ferguson said; the first to recover his voice and process the information "You're leaving?"

And there she goes again.

* * *

 _*Leaves this here and walks away*_


	6. After Learning

_Hi everyone! sorry it took so long, I was with a lot of homework and I work too, so... well, you can see what happened._

 _Here it is! I hope you like it! :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: After Learning**

Marco heard the door open and Star dropping her bag on the floor. He looked at the clock; it was past 6pm already. Drying his hands (from the dishes he just finished washing); he went to the living room. Star was lying on her belly and her face buried in one of the pillows as her body was limp on the couch.

"Welcome home…?" He tried to initiate a conversation, supporting himself at the back of the couch, she grumbled in reply "Hard task?" She nodded and another grumble to let him know she didn't want to talk about it "Want something to eat?"

Star lifted her head just a bit "I need ice scream… A _lot_ of ice cream from the sweetest flavor, chocolate and a silly movie... Or a tragic one." She said planting her head on the pillow again sighing.7

"Woah, calm down; it's not the end of the world" He rolled his eyes.

"You're right" She said muffled by the pillow on her face while pointing at him to agree without moving "It's the end of my life. I must as well take all Mr. Diaz beer."

"Oh no!" He stood and did a negative signal with his arms to her "We are not repeating new year's mistake!" He replied.

"But Marco…" She sat on her knees, hugging the pillow close and said at the most dramatic way she could "I'm _desperate_ "

He shook his head slightly with a smile and messed up her hair a bit before going to the kitchen again "I'll get you something, _Princesa_."

It didn't matter if it was only one word, she would get flustered anytime he speak Spanish, so she was grateful he didn't saw the stupid smile on her face because of the nickname. Something in the way he spoke was really charming, and he always called her in some Spanish nickname with a tender tone. He usually did to cheer her up or to make fun of her.

She was able to find a silly romantic movie in the TV and when Marco got back, he gave her a pot with ice cream (cookie flavored), a spoon and put his hoodie over her. She took the hood surprised and looked at his questionably. "To warm you up" He shrugged. "I don't wanna go up just to get a blanket, so the hood will do for now"

With a nod, she put her arms into the red hoodie and zipped it, as soon as the warm feeling came to her together with his fragrance, Star shoved the ice cream to keep her cool. Marco had sit beside her and watched the movie too.

Even with her eyes glued on the television, her mind as on the school scenario.

" _What are you doing here?!" She had exclaimed "Weren't you two at the arcade?"_

" _We_ _ **should**_ _, but we got a detention" Ferguson replied._

" _For what?" When both boys avoided her eyes and blushed, she knew why "Why you guys keep trying to spy on the girls room?!"_

" _Forget about that!" Alfonso said returning to the point "We were about to hand this to Mrs. Skullnick when we heard what you said." The boy exclaimed with a paper on his hand, probably the research they got to do while on detention._

 _Star gulped. "What did you heard?"_

" _A lot" Ferguson replied "That you are leaving after graduation; you must take Mrs. Skullnick and clean Earth from all the magic including our memories of you."_

" _That's everything…" Star sighed; this was getting out of her control "Look guys…"_

 _Ferguson raised his hand to stop her "No,_ _ **you**_ _listen, Star. We are_ _ **friends**_ _, how the hell do you want us to accept this? And you wouldn't say a thing? You think we're fine with that?"_

" _And why you need to erase our memories? What's the need in that?" Alfonso also was asking. Ferguson kept asking taking steps towards her. "Is that why you were running away from Marco earlier? So he wouldn't know?" Before Star could think on answers to them, there were more questions. One after another and another and…_

 _The emotional tension broke her._

" _Stop" She pleaded, she felt her eyes burn and the sobs coming up. She covered her face with one hand. "Please…"_

 _Both of them seemed to be taken back. They looked at each other, then at the crying princess. Ferguson went closer putting one arm on Star's shoulders, caressing to calm her down; Alfonso took her other hand and did the same._

" _Hey, Star…" Alfonso said on a soothing and regretful tone "Don't cry"_

 _Ferguson agreed "Yeah, sorry we took out on you. We are just… shocked. You didn't say a thing…"_

" _I don't want to…" She said between sobs "I don't want to do this…"_

 _Ferguson and Alfonso looked at each other confused, and then the red haired one turned to her again "What do you mean?"_

" _I don't want to say this, I don't want to_ _ **do**_ _this, I don't want to leave Earth like this, I don't want to say goodbye, I don't want to be apart from Marco and all of you forever, I don't want any of this…"_

" _Then don't do it…" Ferguson tried to resonate._

" _I don't have_ choice _, guys. Not this time. It's my_ _ **duty**_ _as a princess and there's nothing I can do about it"_

 _Right after that, both boys hugged her tight. Star thought that they had cried, but they didn't let her see it. At that moment they're just three friends learning that they would be apart to never meet again very soon. But different of the rest of school, it wasn't by choice and, once it was over, none of the boys would know she even existed._

 _But she would. She would_ _ **always**_ _know it._

All they agreed to meet on the next day (while Marco would be teaching kids on karate), to discuss how things were going to be until the day she would depart. None of them were feeling good to have this talk at school and after crying so much. Maybe she could call Jackie since she already knew…

She looked at the ice cream pot by the half already. It wasn't too big, but Star normally took her sweet time to taste it. Her mind was too off to pay attention on how she was eating it.

Her attention was on the TV again when the screen changed to another one, but it wasn't a channel. Star looked over the boy beside her and saw him with the remote control "Marco, I was watching!"

"No…" He replied pointing at her with the remote control "You were looking at the screen with your mind on the clouds."

She objected "How can you say that?!"

"The movie you were watching was over about ten minutes now"

Oh, that's how he knew "I was to watch the next one."

"You were going to watch the new 'Fantastic Four'? The movie that you hate to the point you exploded the room we were the last time you tried to watch it?"

"You… Got a point" She huffed "But still, I choose what to watch."

"I wanna play video game"

"I need a movie"

"The house is mine"

"I'm the invited princess"

"The remote control is on my hand"

"Not for long!" Putting the ice cream pot safely and the coffee table, Star launched herself at her friend, he extended his arm above his head so she couldn't reach. She tried to tickle him, but he didn't have tickles anymore. Marco tried to shove her away, but it was on vain.

Mrs. Diaz passed by the scene in the way to the kitchen and Marco called for her "Mom, Star is trying to steal the remote control from me!"

"He stole from me!"

"Say to her I can watch the TV!"

Mrs. Diaz got in the kitchen, passed by them again with a bottle of water and yawned "Resolve this between you too. Be good kids and keep the volume low, I'll go sleep. Good night"

"Good night" Both teenagers said stopping for a moment to wave at the woman and got back into their fight as soon as she turned her back.

Marco tried to shoo her by pushing and tickling her, but it was on vain. He was glad she didn't remember the wand was at the coffee table, he didn't want another Monster Arm. He raised the highest he could without getting up from the couch, Star extended her arm, the other one trying to break the defense pose Marco was, the tip of her finger were almost touching it…

"You won't even watch!" Marco said.

"I want to cry over a movie!"

"With those red eyes, I don't think you need a movie to cry!"

"What?!" She exclaimed startled, just then her knee pulled the skirt of her dress and Star the lost her balance. She fell forward, Marco falling on his back at the couch. Star got up, supporting herself on his chest and froze in place with him.

Her face was centimeters apart from his, she could feel his breathing on her and it was for sure he could feel her. His eyes were burning her, he looked at her on shock, but also like she was a completely different person. Legs tangled bracing each other keeping them in place. The palms of her hands on his chest could feel his heart beating fast (or it was hers?) and the muscles beneath the black tank top, she just noticed his arms were exposed, the muscles he got were showing all their beauty. He wasn't a bodybuilder, but he got on the right proportion and _why the heck the world was so unfair with her allowing such position?_

She blinked once, Marco did too. Then she slow blinked and suddenly the shock expression on his face was placed with tenderness and caring. He raised one hand on her face and caressed her heart cheeks. They're warm, the same way his hand was. Star closed her eyes briefly, losing herself at the moment. She felt he pull her lightly and then she snapped.

Closing her eyes tighter, she got up suddenly, untangled her legs and got to the other side of the couch, bracing her legs and hiding her face inside his hood.

"Star?" Marco called her out stunned, getting on his elbows to look at her "What was…?" He stopped himself when he realized. He got up and sat cross-legged; Star could feel his inquisitive look at her "Pheromones?"

She just nodded. Marco sighed, looking at the TV screen. The princess knew he was trying to find something to lift the tension between them "I… I'm about to complete _Twilight Princess_. I know you like that game, so…" He left the phrase in the air for her to finish the decision.

She did enjoy watching him play that game, even though she never got why herself. Star got her ice cream – it was a bit melted, but not liquid – and just kept looking at the screen.

"Let's play"

.

.

.

Marco finally got to the final boss. Star even got hyped in the way, screaming him to jump and attack, while Marco screamed back he was trying and somehow his parents didn't woke up.

Now they're both watching the final scenes. The revelation of the true form of the Twilight Princess, all the characters destinies, the princess gratefulness to Link and Zelda… And then come the, once for all, final scene ending.

Somehow things went downhill from there.

"Oh God…" Star said anxious and he shushed her "I know what she'll do…"

He didn't pay much attention; he wanted to know what would be the next adventure Link would go with his interdimensional friend. Star got both hands on her mouth, trying to keep quiet.

One tear slid from the interdimensional girl's face; both the on in the game and the on by his side.

Then the portal that linked both worlds of Link and the Twilight Princess was shattered, Link's friend went to where she belonged and, as final image of her, a sad smile of goodbye to the hero. Then it was gone. The princess, the mirror, the portal… It was all gone.

Marco let his jaw drop in shock, Star was in tears. It was a happy ending, the saddest happy ending he could think of. Link would never meet his friend again! He (Both Marco and Link) were supposed to be _okay_ with that?! Just _how_?!

The final scene was the hero returning home, his best friend waiting for him and then the image of the sculpture of the Triforce along with the words "The End". Marco sighed, letting the game control on the coffee table. He took a deep breath trying to assimilate the ending. It was surprising the worlds were divided once again _after all the work he had to open the portals and bring peace to both so it would all be just fine._

"Well… That was something..."

A sob surprised him. He looked at his best friend surprised to see Star cupping her hands on her mouth trying to keep quiet, but unable to. She was a sobbing mess, tears kept running down her face and body shaking. Marco was lost on how he was supposed to react.

"Star…?" He called her softly "Hey… Calm down. It was a sad ending, but it was also happy, wasn't it? Link got to go back home safely with his friends, everything was fine…" He touched her shoulder, trying to soothe her. He had never seen Star so emotional over a movie or anything like that.

Star took a deep breath trying to calm down. Then she lifted her face to him, eyes and face red from crying, her hair falling on her face and tears on her cheeks. She looked at him and he smiled, trying to show it was just fine.

And before he could think on something to say, she launched herself on him, lying on his lap, hugging him for dear life, sobs and tears more intense, shaking like he never had seen before. He tried to talk to her or push her just a bit to try understanding what was going on, but it was all in vain.

In the end, he gave a sigh and tried to soothe her. Marco hugged her back, one hand caressing her head, hair or back. He hushed things like "It's going to be fine" and "it's okay", all the times she shook her head further into him and kept crying.

After a while, exhaustion got over her. Cries and sobs slowing down, until the moment he looked and realized she had fallen asleep. Marco looked at her face, there was some hint of hurt and tears, but it wasn't red from all her outburst anymore. The boy traced the heart on her cheek with one finger, trying to figure out why she got so affected by the ending.

It was pretty late, so he turned off the TV and video game. Being careful to not wake her up, he put Star on his lap and the Wand on his pocket (even if was a time of peace, he wouldn't risk leaving around or away from her). He made her head rest on his chest, one arm around her shoulders and the other below her legs, and then he got up. With all caution and courtesy he lifted her on bridal style, taking her upstairs and went to her room.

Luckily the door was open. The laser dogs were laying all top of the other on her carpet, the possessed boots being crushed by them. He gave a faint smile and looked at Star moving on his arms, but she just adjusted herself to be more comfy.

He went to her bed, laying her carefully on the mattress. As soon as she was lying down, she changed position to hug a pillow on the shape of a black cat with green eyes. Marco got a blanket and covered her, it was better let her have his hood for the night since he didn't wanted to wake her up – Even if she was too tired to wake up anytime soon.

He cowered on her level, face to face, looking at the sleeping princess. How he was supposed to help Star when she didn't tell him what was happening? He knew it was because she wasn't ready to tell, not because she didn't _want_ to, but Marco wanted to help her. He hated the fact that she was suffering from something and he had known nothing about it to help her.

Marco removed few strands of hair that had fallen on her face and caressed her cheek. "What's going on?" He wondered to himself. With a light sigh, he got up. His hand moved strands of blond hair again, but this time it was just he could give a gentle kiss on her temple.

"Good night, Star"

A faint smile took place on her lips and a light sleepy sigh of satisfaction was his reply. He smiled and got out her room, closing the door behind him and so he went to his own to have a good night of sleep.

.

.

.

On the next day a surprise, in the name of Janna, came to her.

Ferguson and Alfonso already at the cafe waiting for her, she went to find Jackie and ask for her to help explaining, which the skater gladly agreed to. Then, on the way to meet the boys, they meet up with Janna. She was standing on the middle of an empty corridor, like she was waiting for the girls.

"What's up?" She said when they were passing by.

"Not much…" Jackie shrugged.

"We need to meet up with Ferguson and Alfonso, so… Sorry, but we need to go."

They just passed by her and stopped on her tracks when Janna speak up again.

"Is it because Star is leaving?"

Star dropped her jaw, turning herself to Janna. The girl had a normal expression, like she had said 'We have homework today' and not the secret she was trying _so hard_ to keep and _failing_ to do it. The princess looked to the other blond, but the girl was just as shocked as her, Jackie lifted her shoulders and shook her head to tell she haven't said a thing. Star turned to Janna once again.

"H-how… Just _how_ did you…" Before Star could finish, Janna lifted her magic book on one hand and an empty pot of chocolate pudding on the other, then popped the bubblegum balloon she made, chewing it again.

" _Glossaryck_!" Star grunted frustrated and got the book back "When did you even got…?"

"On the bus yesterday" Janna shrugged throwing the empty pot on the trash by distance (and a quick victory punch in the air when she hit). "You're distracted with your cellphone"

Star face-palmed. She should be more careful, even more if Marco had the same idea. "Okay… We are meeting Ferguson and Alfonso to explain that…"

"The dorks find out?" Janna asked surprised.

"They did yesterday" Jackie answered.

"How the hell haven't _Marco_ find out yet?!" She exclaimed.

The blondies looked at each other before looking back at the girl and both lifted her shoulders in confusion "We have no idea"

"But I want to keep like that" Star finished. "It wasn't supposed to _none_ of you find out."

Janna shrugged "Fine by me. I probably know more than the two dorks already, so… Let's go!" She passed her arms on Star's right arm and on Jackie's left arm, tangling the three of them and pulled the two towards the cafe. Star and Jackie laughed; Janna was definitely the easiest to tell the news. She didn't freaked out and didn't demanded answers (Glossaryck probably had given it already), she understood and went on.

She hoped it was this easy with the others.

"You gonna be here by the prom?" Janna asked.

"Prom?" Star wondered. Jackie pointed to the poster of the graduation ball that was coming soon "Oh, that… I'm supposed to leave after graduation, so… I guess?" She said insecure.

"Great! We gonna meet those dorks and then, have a girls day to buy our dresses!" Janna exclaimed excited.

Jackie made a face to the bouncing girl in the middle "To be excited with this kind of thing it's Star's role, Janna."

"What's wrong with me doing it? I do it gracefully!"

"It's just weird." Jackie said laughing lightly. "It's like hearing a dog pleading for cat treats."

"It's not like that"

"It is"

Star observed the discussion of the two girls, they were obviously joking with each other, but it was relaxing anyway. Star was thankful she got to meet and have them on her life, even if they wouldn't remember her after everything. They were trying to cheer her up and spend those last moments with her in a joyful way and lifting the tension on her.

The princess smiled, she untangled her arm off Janna, and switched places with the ebony haired girl to jump of both of her friends shoulders, crying out in excited. "It will be the best ball ever!" The other two laughed and Jackie pointed towards the princess.

"See? _That's_ normal"

.

.

.

.

Marco got home, he spreading his arms in the air and felt his hands wet. He looked up and saw water on the ceiling. It was floating like it was a swimming pool above his head. He dropped his hands and dried them on his shirt.

"Star!"

Seconds later, the pool was gone in a pinkish magic cloud (why it was there to begin with?). Only then he went upstairs and heard noises on Star's room, like she was turning it upside down. He knocked on the closed door. "Is everything fine?"

"Yes, just give me a second!" She shouted from inside. He heard some magic noises inside and seconds later the princess opened her door smiling like there was nothing wrong in the world.

"How were the kids today?"

"Hyperactive as ever" He said going in and dropped himself on her bed, planting his face on the mattress.

"All kids are electric" She rolled her eyes leaving the door open.

"Today were the little devils."

She sat on the edge of the bed beside him "You always say that on Wednesdays"

"It's always the same class kids on Wednesdays." He replied "I swear, they took the list of all the troubling kids and though _'oh, I know, why don't we gather them together and give the class to Marco?!'_ and now here I am defeated" He groaned plating his face on the soft mattress.

"It could be worse…" Marco looked at her and raised one eyebrow "They could be magical and have no control over their magic" She resonated.

Marco looked at her unamused "You mean, like _you?_ "

She gave a nervous laugh. "Ahn… Yeah, I haven't thought about that…"

"I got my share of magical girls thanks to you" He raised himself standing again.

"Thank you!" She said happily.

"That wasn't a compliment"

Star pouted, she crossed her arms and looked away. Marco decided he should call Ponyhead to talk for a bit (it had been a while since he last spoke with the princess). When he turned in the direction of the mirror, he saw a coat hanger were the clothing on it was covered on a plastic, but by the volume of it, he guessed it was a dress. He looked surprised and turned to Star.

"Is that your prom dress?" He asked surprised.

She looked at the obvious dress and at him again, replying vaguely "No…?"

"Lemme see it!"

"What?! No!" Star screamed when he walked towards the dress. She looked around trying to find something to stop him. One of the laser dogs was there chewing a toy "Stop him!"

Marco was about to reach for it when the dog came fast as lighting and barked at him to get off, eyes ready to shoot lasers if he tried to go further. He pouted at the dog and his friend "C'mon, I'm curious!"

"You won't see it before the ball" Star replied.

"So… You're going?" He asked confused.

"I am. Why?"

Marco felt weird about it, something bubbling up inside of him, but he kept it quiet "Who invited you?"

"I need an invitation?" She asked confused.

Marco made a face looking at the princess sitting on her knees on the soft mattress "Yes, you do. It's a 'boys invite girls' ball thing. It's stupid, but it's how it works…" He said and then widened his eyes "You weren't invited?"

"No, I thought I just needed to… go?" She replied confused.

Marco sighed and massaged his temples. So the girls made Star bought a dress (probably high heels, a purse and all the other things too) and didn't even explained what she was into?

They probably convinced her she shouldn't show her dress until the ball too.

"Do you have any idea of your outfit?" Star asked, hugging the cat pillow on her lap. When he made a confused face, she clarified "For the prom. Have you decided what you're going to wear?"

"Oh…" Marco scratched his ear "About that… I'm not going."

"What?! Why?!"

"I…" He gave a sigh and decided to tell the truth "I don't have anyone to invite…"

Star cut him off "Your girlfriend should be for this kind of things, you know?" She pointed to the key pendant on his neck "I'm sure she'll be happy"

"Also…" He continued "Jackie invited me to go to Australia with her for college"

Star looked shocked. The pillow went limp on her arms, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in surprise. She took slow shaky breaths, trying to collect the information. Well, he did expect such reaction, his mother had reacted very much alike, but his parents gave total support on whatever decision he took. Even if in the future he regretted and wanted to go back, he knew his parents would be with arms wide open.

"You… Didn't say anything…" She said after a few minutes.

"You also didn't tell me what's troubling you." He replied. When he saw her flinch and tense up, he sighed "Sorry, it wasn't fair for me to bring this up. I know you're doing your best"

"It's okay" She put one strand of hair behind her ear "I'm just shocked, that's all" Star begin to get entertained with her hands and Marco knew that every time she did that it was because she was overthinking, tense on something or frustrated. Before he could say something she spoke up again "I don't get why you couldn't go to the ball…"

Marco put his hands on his hood pockets "If I decide to go we're probably going soon, before the ball"

"I see…" Star said, then she got up and stood before him and inquisitive look on her while she bent to be closer on his face, but not invading his personal space "Now, say the truth"

Marco widened his eyes startled. He gave a nervous laugh and was about to lie when he looked at her. That was pointless. Star knew him way too well; she would know he was lying for sure.

When did they got such connection and knowledge on each other to the point they knew _exactly_ what was going on with the other only by _looking_? He tried to remember, but it wasn't possible. He just… _knows_.

"I…" He gave a sigh and dropped his shoulders in defeat "Don't know how to dance-"

Marco stared at her and Star stared at him. Did they just say the same thing in sync once again?

"You said the same thing!" Both of them said again "Stop that!" They exclaimed "Stop copying me!" They said in sync again and it just went on.

"I'm not!"

"You're!"

"Stop!"

Star got worked up and took the Wand pointing towards him again. Marco surrendered by lifting both his arms on air "Seriously, you should stop pointing that thing to me every time this happens"

"It's creepy!" She justified, lowering the wand when the effect went off. Then she put both hands on her hips with a questionably face "So you won't go to the ball just because you don't know how to dance? You dance all the time! You danced with me in Blood Moon Ball"

"Pop songs are not the problem. And sincerely, the Blood Moon Ball I just went with the rhythm… Also that was a _long time_ ago, I kind of lost practice…" He answered and she nodded. Almost four years was, indeed, long time.

She balanced the Wand on her hand thoughtful, touching her cheek with the magical object and shrugged. She released a spell that went to her computer. A slow song begun to play on the speakers and she extended her arms to him.

"Well, problem solved. I'll teach you all over again"

"What?!"

"C'mon!" She bounced waiting him to get closer "It will be fun!"

"Star, Earth dances are not like Mewni" He argued.

"I know that" She rolled her eyes "I learned dances from here too, remember? Now, come here and get ready to learn!"

Marco looked uncertain to her open arms. Trying to learn from her couldn't hurt, right?

"Ok"

Star got his hands, positioning at her waist and let her hands on his shoulders "This is an intimate position. So if your partner allows you can lower your hands to her b-"

"Ew!" Marco exclaimed getting away from her and raising his hands "Don't say that when I'm trying this out with you, it's… Nope. I'm out!" Marco said turning to leave the room. Star laughed and holds his wrist for him to stay.

"I'm messing with you!" She boops his nose "Come on, I'll take it seriously this time" He frowned doubtful on her and she rolled her eyes smiling "What I said it's true, basically on slow songs you get to be on that position moving on the rhythm of the music. The matter it's to enjoy a… romantic time with the person, not exactly dance"

Marco nodded "Ok, I got it"

"Now, for the waltz…"

Star put his right hand below her shoulder, her left arm went above his – to support its weight, her right hand got on his left and suspended on air "This is a classic and basic waltz, ok? If it was 19th century or something we probably wouldn't even touch each other."

He frowned again "Since when do you pay attention to history class?"

"I do… Sometimes" She shrugged "Well, normally the men is the one who guides the dance, but for now I'll do it for you to learn again, ok?" He nods "Ok, now count with me. Left, right, right…"

And it began. He went to the left, then to the right, but then he went to the left again on reflex and stepped on her feet. He apologized and she laughed on his clumsy, dismissing it and moved again at stepping to the sides. They did that until he got the movements, she tried to begin to move them around and he begins stepping on her feet again.

Mrs. Diaz passed by Star's open door and giggled at the teenagers, her dorky son troubled into not stepping on the princess feet and the magical girl giggling on his clumsiness. The mother smiled admiring both teens; they had grown up so much and so quickly… She went her own way, to make dinner and wait to her husband came home from work.

Star showed him how to turn a girl around, she almost fell in the first time because he made it too fast; getting apart and together again, lowering a girl and getting her up. They got to spend a long time like that; Star would always dismiss Marco's apologies for stepping on her feet while laughing on him. Eventually, he got better and managed to learn how to do it. When the song playing ended, Star took a bottle of water on her desk and drink a bit.

"Ok… I think I got it" Marco stated.

Star turned to him and gulped the water putting the bottle on the desk again "Wanna try guiding me on the next song?"

He nodded "Yeah"

Star went to him and got into position. Marco begun to guide her on the waltz, it was a bit clumsy, but he did it well. He gestured to turn her around and she did. He tried to step back and twirl both of them, he looked at his feet but her finger got his chin and made him look at her again.

"Look at my face, not my feet"

"Sorry" He laughed at himself.

He was doing it well. At some point of the song, he wasn't just the clumsy Marco trying to figure out how to waltz, he was a teenager dancing around and laughing with a wonderful girl that was also enjoying the dance. He turned her around, twirled them, extending his arms to the side and Star did the same, turning around her arms and his getting around her. When her back touched his chest, Marco lowered his face and gave a quick kiss on her exposed shoulder. She blushed and laughed while slapping his chest lightly.

Marco was enjoying the dance more then he thought he would. The gracefulness of Star probably was natural for her (as a princess or a girl he didn't knew, it just was). And somehow she made everything better. For final, he turned her around, a firm hand on her back lowering her to his knee. He touched his forehead with hers laughing lightly when the song ended. One of her hands hold on his neck firmly for support, and the other was on his shoulder.

Marco eventually stopped laughing and looked at Star. Her blue eyes so innocent and pure, lips on a tender smile to him, the song signs on her cheeks turning to hearts again, her long blond hair touching the floor, her hand caressing small circles on his neck. The smile on both of them faded to some other expression that neither of them knew exactly what it was.

He got Star up on her own feet, never breaking the eye contact. He didn't let go of her, she was so close from his body he could feel she was trembling. She tried to pull them apart, but his hand on her back just pressed her more into him finally pulling her close from his body.

"Can we… Stay like this for a little longer?" He said touching his forehead on hers again, closing his eyes while doing so.

"Ok…" She said on a shaky breath, closing her eyes too.

He moved his forehead against hers, eyes still closed; he could feel how her breathing became erratic and realized so was his. Their bodies were glued; he could feel her chest going up and down as she breathes, her slim legs a few inches apart from his. Her hand slides from the shoulder to his chest. His free hand got hers, feeling her soft slender fingers between his. He plays just a bit before tangling them, interweaving his hand on hers and dropping on their sides.

Her warmth somehow spreads from her hands and tingles on his fingers until his whole arm and body to soul feels warms, the sensation it's like her wings are around him. He's wrapped around her. Her smiles, her essence, her existence, her soul…

Her.

His face is dangerously close to hers, to the point he almost breathes the same air as her. His fingers tights on her hand, as to feel this is real. He pulls her closer to him, until there's no space between them, only faces apart. She seems immerse on the moment just as he is and he keeps guiding her like this was still a waltz; A waltz of intimacy and tenderness. He doesn't know how to explain, he's too cloud minded to try.

He opens his eyes, observing Star's eyelashes. Even though their foreheads are touching, she's facing down. Then before he has any idea of what he's doing, the words slip from his mouth.

"Star?"

By hearing her name, she fluttered her eyes open. She kept looking down, so he couldn't look at her eyes. Marco untangled his hands with hers and lifting to her face, he hold her chin between his pointer and thumb, moving it gently up to make she look at him. She stared him in haze, lost as much as he is in this moment.

And then again his mouth moves on his own. He has no idea of what is happening. He just enjoys it.

"I want to go to the prom with you"

She widen her eyes a bit looking at his, like she's searching something there, something more. Something she's hoping for… What is it? His eyes wonders in hers, trying to figure out the answer, on the same way she's trying too.

He gives up. Realizing he doesn't really care. He just want to be in this moment, he just want to be there, involved by all of her and wrapping her into him. He just… He just wants…

Her.

His hands moves from his chin and moves a strand of hair to behind her shoulder, before involving her cheek on his palm, he closed his eyes to enjoy the most of this moment again. He moves his face closer, his lips hovers hers. Personal space is inexistent on the moment and he couldn't care less, but doesn't dare to move closer. Somewhere on his mind, he knows he shouldn't, respecting the princess on his arms way too much to dare to do something against her will. So he leaves space to her try to pull away.

She doesn't, but also doesn't get closer. He feels her hands on his nape, holding him there like he's about to disappear at any second. Marco wonders what's going on her mind, since his was outer space. He felt light, but intense. He can't think or find an answer on the mess on his mind. He can only think on this moment, on the fact he really wants to it be eternally.

"Gosh…" his sigh is tense coming from all this moment gathered; he takes a breath and admits to her his wish on a husky voice "I want to kiss you"

Star doesn't answer again, but he feels her hands tights the hold on him and he takes it as a positive signal and try meet her lips with his.

Then, all at sudden she pushes him away. The moment broken into thousands pieces so brutally he needs a few seconds to understand it's over. He tries to catch his breath; he's breathless like he had run a marathon. The tension, intimacy, intensity, warmth and everything else disappears and he feels… sad.

Lifting his gaze from the floor to his friend, he finds her just confused and shocked as him. Her hands are still in the same position from when she pushed his chest, like to avert him from coming closer.

"Star…?"

He tries to call her softly to not scare her. When she lifts her eyes to look at him, they are wide, startled and shocked, she looks like someone who find out something too important and frustrating.

Then she takes a sudden decision "You should go"

"Go where? What do you mean?" He asks more confused than ever.

"All of it… Everything!" she exclaims "Go to the ball with your _girlfriend!_ Go to…" Before he can register anything or say, she's pushing his back in the direction of the door. "Go to _your room!_ "

He's way too lost and confused to object or try to stay and _talk_. So he's outside her door and he just stands there, looking at the wall without a clue on what's going on.

"And…" He turns to her again; hoping for the grace of God, she will explain something. Star look at his eyes, her gaze is hurt when she finishes "You should go to Australia with Jackie"

He's too shocked to do anything, so he doesn't say anything, neither does she. Then she turns and closes her door, turning the key so he knows she doesn't want to be perturbed so soon.

Star supports her back on the wooden door and slides to the ground taking a shaky breath. She wants to cry, she wants to scream, she wants to go after Marco, she wants to the moment to come back, she wants it to never happen again, she wants it eternally, she's…

She's desperate. Star is lost on a level she doesn't think it's even possible.

Hugging her legs, she quietly hopes for a moment of peace. To go back on the days it was all adventures, silliness and magic… Why and how things went down hills?

Even though she wants this little moment alone to get her thoughts into place the universe, however, have other plans.

" _Star, dear?"_

She looks up and meets the reflex of her mother on the mirror. It's a rare moment her mother it's startled by something and it worries Star. The princess gets up from the floor and approaches the mirror. The Queen's face changes to concern once she sees her daughter.

" _Star, what's wrong?"_

"It's nothing. I just got stressed on something, but I'll be fine" She massages her cheeks like it will clean the desolation look she has "Why are you calling?"

" _Darling…"_ Her mother says in a frustrated and worried manner. Star knows right away by that, whatever the Queen got to say, aren't good news _"We need you to come back to Mewni immediately."_

* * *

 _Don't look at me, I got no blame on this._


	7. After Avoidance

_Hi everyone!_

 _I won't take much of your time, so on the end I'll explain my disapearance for all this time on the post notes, ok? if you don't care; well, you can jump it then. I'm posting there so it won't difficult your reading (hey Mobile readers o/)_

 _Welcome the new followers **ElJeremy98** , **Xhomer367** , **The kishin Sessomaru-kurai** , **Latisha McPeanuts** , **Sword of Romance** , , **BlankSheet425** , **Fanficloverkali** , __**EkiPeriBe**_ _, **freddiemercuryforever1946** to this fanfic universe, I hope you enjoy your stay :)_

 _Thanks to **NerdyAnimeOtakuGeek** , , **EriPeriBe** , **Blanksheet425** , __**hellomant** , **yaoifangirl1000** , **Blanksheet425** , **freddiemercuryforever1946**_ _for the favs!_

 _Also to the kind guests that stop by and leave sweet reviews, each one brings a smile on my face, tahnk you!_

 _With the further ado by the end, here's your 9k words chapter (that's one of the reasons it took forever to fix) I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: After Avoidance**

One week. It had been one week since her mother's call. One week since her nightmares about a war begin. One week she couldn't sleep. One week since the news broke on her. One week that her fears were a reality. One week since her realization about her and Marco relationship.

One week they have been distant from each other.

Not like that would stop Marco from teasing her. He somehow realized that he got an effect on her by doing somethings, like walking shirtless after training, the way he dressed his hair to behind, exercising in front of her and a lot more. He was doing to annoy her, thinking that those things upset her.

What he doesn't know it's that the effects on her were exactly the other way around. Like right now, when he decided breakfast was a _great_ time to speak Spanish to his parents, all she wanted to do is to shut him up by kissing him.

It was the end of her. She was totally doomed.

" _¿Qué quieres panqueques mama?_ " Marco said turning to his mother.

" _Si. Gracias, hijo_." Mama Diaz replied.

And he would continue with that. Star face was red from frustration from the second she took a step in the kitchen. In the moment, she was drinking the cold milk in hope it would cool her head. There were a lot of more important matters and troubles than Marco's teasing her...

Like the menace of a war in Mewni.

" _What?!" Star had screamed when her mother told her the news. "You said I had until graduation!"_

 _Her mother sighed "I know Star, but Mewni it's on the bridge of a war."_

" _We are in a time of peace, why something like that would happen?!" Star exclaimed in frustration._

" _Another dimensional kingdom close to Mewni want to unify. That or otherwise they will call a war."_

" _That makes absolute no sense!" Star replied on frustration._

 _Her mother massaged her forehead just worried as the princess "I know, but it's what it's been said."_

" _What do you think they truly want?"_

 _A third voice replied her question "We don't know."_

 _Her father image came into view, stepping beside her mother "I think they are probably looking out on Mewni improvements, so they can use it all to improve themselves."_

" _What do we got and they don't?" Star asked curious._

" _Your knowledge" Her mother said "Thanks to what you have been learning on Earth, Life in Mewni improved a lot and so has economy."_

" _If that's true we could help them to improve on their own" Star reasoned._

 _Her father shook his head "That's not what they want. We tried to talk, but they are not listening."_

" _What they want to do to unify?"_

 _Her mother had exchanged glances with her father, both of them conflicted. Star noticed how Queen Butterfly changed the topic "Our army is more than prepared to a war if it comes to happen, but we want to avoid that, to use as a last resource."_

" _Mom, Dad…" Star called their attention, already tense and scared of the answer "What they want to unify the kingdoms?"_

 _Her mother sighed; obviously, she didn't want to give this information to her daughter "They want to arrange a marriage between you and their prince."_

Star put the cup of milk down and let a small sigh escape her lips. Her frustration on Marco faded to give place to the frustration of her future. She didn't even knew the said prince or kingdom, the princess knew that this kind of thing was actually common on some places (even Earth had things like this happening on their history), but she never thought it would happen to _her_.

She didn't want a war, Mewni didn't deserve that, but how to avoid a war where they want a marriage to benefit only their kingdom or a massive blood shed? She had to figure out something, Mewni depended on that, the peace depended on that, _her future_ depended on that. She _had_ to.

Apparently, Marco didn't like being ignored by her distraction. He bumped into on her chair, and she knew it was on purpose because of the fake smile he had while apologizing.

" _Oh. Lo sento mucho Princesa._ "

Star grumbled something while hitting her forehead on the table. Mr. Diaz laughed and messed her hair slightly. Star whined because they were still on all the Spanish talking, she couldn't understand a single word and she wanted so much to make Marco shut up by kissing him even thought that would be wrong because he had a _girlfriend_ but at the same time it wouldn't be becausehealreadytoldherhewantedtokissherand…

"Ok…" Mama Diaz giggled on the upset boy and the troubled girl; she put her hand on Marco's shoulder taking him to the living room "If you're done torturing Star, we have something to you."

Papa Diaz got up and offered a hand to Star to guide her, she smiled when she accepted. He guided her by hand while Marco was guided by his mother pulling him by his arm. They got on the living room; the adults make both teenagers sit beside each other, but they still had a safe arm-distance between them. Mr. Diaz got two packages, both on the same size, he handed one to his wife and kept the other.

"So… Your graduation is coming soon, but we wanted to give you something for it already" Mama Diaz explained.

Her husband hugged her by the waist with his free arm, the other still holding the package safely, "So this is just a little gift to symbolize our union as a family" He smiled "Here, Marco."

The brown haired boy took the gift and opened carefully – much to Star dismay when she was so curious on what it was. While Marco was busy opening the package, his mother continued explaining "Each one of us has something to symbolize. Your father has his cloudy bracelet, I have this sun earrings and necklace, So we decided you would fit on…"

"Wow!" Marco interrupted his mother by accident on his excitement. Star looked at him as bracelet was taken out the box so he could look better. It was dark blue, the shape of a silver moon on the center with the edge in gold. "This is awesome!" He jumped from the couch and hugged his parents. "I love it! Thanks!" He bounced while putting on his upper arm, close from where the mark of Monster Arm usually appeared.

"I like it." Monster Arm said. Marco pinched him in annoyance before going upstairs to take a picture with his phone.

Star smiled at him, it was a nice thing the Diaz decided to do. They _do_ care a lot about presents and their meanings, so she was happy to see the family going on such a nice moment.

The princess got up and turned to leave to her room when Mrs. Diaz small hand stopped her by holding her shoulder. She looked at the woman, the other box was offered to her with a faint smile. Star looked at it surprised.

"What? Are you sure, Mama Diaz?"

"We are." Said Papa Diaz coming closer and putting one hand on his wife shoulder which she immediately intertwined her fingers with his "Come on, open it!"

She smiled widely at them, so she opened the box eagerly and took the object carefully. It was a pair of white pearl earrings with a little string that corrected the pearls to golden stars. It was gorgeous. She looked back at the Diaz couple in surprise.

"Each one of us has something…" Mama Diaz said showing her earrings and necklace in the shape of the sun once more, her husband showed the chain on his neck with a cloud pendant that somehow paired with hers.

"This is so pretty…" Then she realized that was way too fancy from what they were used to "It must have been expensive, I…"

"No returns." Papa Diaz said smiling, his wife took the earrings and pushed the princess hair back so she could put on her ears. "We have been planning this for a while, so it's nothing, really. We know this must be really simple for a princess, but we want you to accept with your heart."

His wife fixed the earrings on the princess and caressed her cheeks "Star you're a wonderful girl. I want you to know that you're the daughter I never had and I would had wished for. We consider you part of this family even if you're to leave soon."

Star eyes widened, pink hearts going a bit pale. If they knew, have they told the other? Have they told _Marco_? But she haven't said anything "How do you…"

Papa Diaz gave a sad smile. "Your parents talked to us. They explained what we should arrange to help you, since they noticed you have been troubled by all this."

Star was about to reply him, but then she felt Mrs Diaz hands holding her aa bit tighter and shaking, so he looked up to the small woman again.

"Star…" Mama Diaz said trying to hold the tears on her eyes "We want to make sure you know that you are also part of this family and that we love you; we always will. Even if we don't remember you, we will always be within our hearts, with our knowledge or not…" She stopped talking when the tears begun to fall from her eyes.

"Mama Diaz…" Star said softly, and then went to hug the woman. Star held her tears, while the woman held her close and tightly "I'm sorry."

She let go of Star to dry the tears on the teenager's face, smiling at the princess while doing so "Don't be. I'm glad we got to meet and enjoy these years with you, dear. It's just… I'm going to miss you _so_ _much_ …" The woman dried her own tears and Star smiled sadly before giving another hug, this time lighter.

"I'll miss you all a lot more."

A hand caressed her head and she looked up to Papa Diaz. That was smiling a bit sad too "I doubt that."

"You can be sure." She smiled to him. The heart of the Diaz Family was warm and big; to know she had a place with them (even if they didn't remember her after), warmed her heart. The intention was that it mattered.

"Come on!" Mama Diaz said holding Star's shoulders and pushing her to a mirror "Look! What do you think?"

She looked at the earrings and smiled. The Diaz had such consideration as to buy a symbol of family union to her. Papa Diaz was the clouds, Mama Diaz the sun, Marco was the moon and she was the stars… Did they mean to say they were only complete when she arrived? Was it coincidence? Did they mean that she and Marco completed each other like the moon and stars at night? Or maybe it was just because Star was her name?

Shaking her head, she gave a light laugh; she was overthinking again "It's perfect."

A song came from her dress pocket and she picked up her phone. A picture of Alfonso along with his name and number was blinking as the ringtone continued "Hey, Al!"

" _Star, we have a party to plan on Friday!"_

It would be in three days, why a party so close from its date "Why all of sudden?" She asked confused.

" _Jackie got to enter the university!"_ He said. _"She'll be going to Australia! We have to celebrate!"_

"I… See…" Star said in a vague tone. Her friend noticed through the phone.

" _Star, what's wrong?"_

She gave a sigh. If Jackie got to go to Australia, it meant so is Marco. She shouldn't be bothered by this, considering she's about to leave, but she can't help it. At least she knows he's going to be on good company, she knows what he'll be doing once she vanishes from Earth…

It still hurt anyway.

"Say to the group I have news," She decided to say. There was a lot going on to focus on her crush for Marco "I… I'll tell you guys after the party."

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More three days. Marco was still upset with her, he kept following her anywhere and doing everything he could to get on her nerves – The problem is, he's not reaching the nerves he wanted, but _waaay_ different nerves – He only got satisfied when she would walk away frustrated with her own condition. What was his objective? She had no idea, maybe he just wanted to mess with her head, and maybe he took as a revenge for that moment a week ago, maybe he just wanted to see her reactions… Whatever it was she had only one conclusion: Marco would be the death of her.

Which by everything it was happening in her life, it was pretty ironic.

And sad.

 _Really sad._

She went to Janna's house earlier to help decorating and organize the party. Even though Jackie was pretty popular, she had only asked their class to attend. It wasn't supposed to be a grand party or anything; just a celebration for the success of their friend.

Marco would get there after the karate class, so he would be a bit late. Which was a bit of relief for Star; she could spend that time to relax completely and forget for a moment of all her feelings and how he was teasing her for the past week. Also, she could take that little time to put her thoughts in place and maybe understand how they would get through this mess, because they _would_ , she just doesn't know where to begin.

"Starry!" Janna jumped on her back as soon as Star put the first foot in the garden.

Ferguson came behind her, pushing her off the princess with a frown "Janna, the girl has been pure tension and stress, don't _jump_ on her. She might just fall apart as well."

Star rolled her eyes and they went inside the house "Wow, thanks for thinking so great of me."

Janna's house wasn't big, but wasn't small either. Just enough for her and her family, no room was too large and the bigger ones (like the living room and kitchen) were fit with furniture and decoration, so there was no empty spaces. The princess always wondered if one of the parents had some kind of Tetris complex, but never asked because she would get distracted with something else. In anyway, Janna's house was enough for their party and since she was the one who suggested the party and also place, they went with it.

She had been on the place before with few more girls for pajama's parties, homework and such. For that night they decided to take on the living room and backyards, it was enough space for all the class.

Star went to the living room. Jackie was pulling up few paper strings together with Alfonso, Janna by her side and Ferguson behind her. She looked around, but the loneliness of just them made clear no one besides them had arrived yet.

"Where's everyone?" She asked confused.

"They will arrive later on" Janna replied shrugging off the topic and going to the other side of the room.

"You said to we get here at 5" Alfonso said.

The girl shrugged, opening a snack "Yeah, but Star has something to tell us."

"I said I would talk to all of you after party"

"After the party the house will be a mess, we gonna be tired and Marco will be here. Don't you prefer a bit of privacy?" Janna reasoned.

"Well… It does make sense." She sighed hugging the purse with the Wand on it.

"So… What's it?" Jackie asked.

She looked to her friends faces. None of them would remember her in exactly a week. This little party would be on their minds, but her existence and everything that came along would disappear. At least she knew one of her friends had success in her entry for university, different from the others… She would never know how they went.

Neither would they know about her.

" _ **What?!**_ _" Star screamed as soon as she heard the word 'arrange' and 'Marriage'. "This… This is_ _ **not**_ _happening! It_ _ **can't**_ _be true! It makes no sense!"_

 _Her father tried to calm her down. "Dear, we know how much this troubles you."_

" _ **Of course**_ _it does! I'm the one getting married for life with someone I don't even know or seen in my entire life!"_

 _This time her mother tried to lead the conversation again. "Star, we_ _ **know**_ _that is wrong, we did given you the free will to choose, as long you did find someone until your 18_ _th_ _birthday, so you could learn and begin to rule Mewni. Me and your father know and we_ _ **want**_ _for you to choose your husband as the royal tradition had been told."_

" _I think they knew about this tradition and your birthday coming soon, that's why they set up this" Her father explained "They don't want competition, so they set a desperate and ultimate deal."_

" _But…" Star begun thoughtful "The tradition says I have to find a suitor to rule Mewni with me until I am 18, I still got time! Otherwise I could rule Mewni alone!"_

 _The face of Queen Butterfly went serious, her posture reminded Star of moments her mother had to take difficult decisions on the kingdom "You know what it takes to sacrifice to rule alone, don't you?"_

 _Star flinched and looked away. She knew, but she was getting really worried, even desperate. Her life was a rollercoaster and she was losing control of it. She didn't like it, and even if she thought about ruling alone as a last resource… The 'last resource' was closer than she thought and wished it was._

 _Queen Butterfly sighed, worried still, but said softly "Star, dear, we are trying. We want a solution for this mess, but we also need you here to take your decision. You're soon to rule Mewni, this matter involves your future."_

" _That's why you need come back right now" Her father completed._

" _I know it's just…" Her legs felt too weak to stand, so she dropped to the floor. She massaged her forehead trying to think. She couldn't avoid going back, and even if the princess did the one thing that wouldn't force her to leave, there was no coming back… And she also didn't want to involve Earth on that mess. All the other dimensions have magic, technologic or whatever; Earth had guns, but bullets could only do so little against magic. She had to find a way out of this mess and somehow keep Earth away from it…_

 _The Evanescent._

 _The Evanescent was a forgotten magic, it would erase anything that had to do with her, from memories to presence and magic it would be gone on the moment she stepped out of that dimension… But the magic have side effect: Any magic would be blocked on Earth forever._

 _Which meant that (even if the chances to try going back using the Erasing Spell were little) going back to Earth would be_ _ **impossible**_ _._

 _That also meant she would have to go, liking or not, without any other choice… Not that would have much choices after this new turn of events._

 _Her parents were about to call her when the princess spoke up again "Two weeks."_

" _Two weeks?" River Butterfly wondered._

" _You think you two can handle two weeks?" She asked, getting up and drying up the few tears that escaped her._

 _Both royals looked at each other and then at their daughter "Maybe; but why?"_

" _I'll be going after the prom."_

" _Star!" Her mother said ready to argue with her, but Star continued to talk before the Queen could finish._

" _I know this is important, but the prom will be the last time I'll see all my friends! I'll never see them again and they won't even remember me. I want to make the most of it! It is an important day for them! For all of us!_ _ **Please!**_ _" She pleaded._

 _The Queen was about to say something when the King spoke "And this prom thing will be in two weeks?"_

" _Yes" Star replied "I'll also take this time to think in something and think about all the alternatives for this matter. I promise."_

" _Fine then"_

" _River!" The Queen objected._

" _However," He continued "You must come back as soon as that prom thing is over."_

" _I will" Star assured "I also would like to someone get me all the information about this kingdom so I can study other ways to deal with them."_

" _Very well, then" Her mother sighed in defeat "Two weeks from now."_

" _Thank you." Star smiled at her parents, a bit relieved that she had a bit more of time._

" _We will be waiting for you" Her father smiled back at her._

 _Her mother looked troubled "Star… I'm sorry about all this. I wish you shouldn't have to face such situation so soon."_

" _It's ok, mom." Star tried to reassure, but the Queen could see how the situation frustrated the teenager._

" _Bye dear. We love you!" Her father waved smiling weakly._

" _Bye. I love you too!"_

" _We'll see you in two weeks!"_

 _And then the call was over. Her last month was drastically reduced to two weeks only. Again, she couldn't do anything about it. Star called Ponyhead few minutes later for advice, but once she saw her best friend, the tears begun to fall. Before she realized, a portal was open and she was at St. Olga hugging Ponyhead for comfort while crying.._

And now there she was. How she was supposed to tell them she had only one more week on Earth instead of one month? She only would have time to go to the ball and, in the moment she stepped back at Diaz house, she would leave. How to say their goodbye would be so soon?

"Is it this complicated?" Jackie asked concerned when Star delayed the answer.

"Oh my God!" Alfonso exclaimed "Are you pregnant?"

"What?! No!" She exclaimed and begun pinching her belly whining "Am I chubby? Why people keep thinking I'm pregnant?" She grumbled.

Ferguson raised an eyebrow "Who else thought that?"

"I prefer to forget both situations ever happened" She said with deadpan face.

Jackie tilted her head "Was it Marco?"

Star blushed and dismissed waving her hands. This was embarrassing as… As when Marco had to explain to her why she couldn't enter his room at morning when his hormones were crazy. "No; not at all!"

Ferguson and Alfonso gasped. "Was he the father?!"

"I just said that it never happened!" Star exclaimed blushing at the insinuation.

And then Janna decided to speak.

"Is it that you're going back to Mewni after the prom?"

Everyone turned to Janna bewildered, who was calmly looking at them with her hands on her pockets, her snack long eaten. Star's jaw dropped to the floor as she tried to remember how to speak once again. Since when talking was a hard a thing to do?

"H-how… Just _how_ did you…"

Instead of answering, Janna raised her hands in the air with, _not one_ , but _two_ empty pots of chocolate pudding. Star gave a silent scream; she would definitely kill Glossaryck for gossip her secrets in exchange of pudding " _When?!_ "

"Yesterday, on classroom" Janna handed the book back to her "You get too distracted when you're tense."

"Wait, what?!" Jackie exclaimed finally, letting go of the paper chains.

Ferguson was also confused while Alfonso was still loading the new information "You said it would be after graduation, it still one month away!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked at Alfonso. He led her to sit on the couch once he saw her lost expression "Can you explain to us?"

When she nodded, the others also went to sit down somewhere close to listen. Janna sat beside the princess, ready to help at some information she learned by Glossaryck (in case her friend needed help or support). Ferguson gave Star a cup with soda like it would help her to speak.

It refreshed her, but didn't help the lump on her throat. Star looked back at her friends and suddenly wished Marco was there. Even if they're in the middle of a fight right now, his presence would help and he would know about her departure with the others at once. At the same time she was glad he wasn't there, talking about this with him on privacy would be better…

If she ever get to do it.

"So…" Janna said when she realized Star was lost in thoughts, "I think you should begin by explaining the actual status of Mewni."

Star nod and took another sip from the soda before saying "We are on the bridge of a war."

When everyone seemed to had their brains fried, Janna face palmed "I meant about the _condition_ on Mewni, not that. You blew their heads!"

"Huh… Sorry?" Star tried, looking on their pale faces.

Janna shrugged "That will do it. Just say it all."

And she did.

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After a long talk, a few tears and laughs; Ferguson and Alfonso where the first ones to go back on their duties on the party, pulling up the "Success!" letters on the wall. Janna went to get the sodas arranged, so Star and Jackie took care of placing the snacks into plates.

"So why did you choose a university away?" Star asked, munching one of the snacks and arranging another on the plate.

"I want to change scene and get independent. If I were to stay on USA, I had the feeling if anything happens I could get back to my parents' house, but… I don't feel like that's true independence."

"I see" Star giggled.

"Star…" Jackie said softly, the princess hummed to show she was still listening while finishing a place and begin to arrange another one "I had invited Marco to go to Australia with me."

Star's hand hesitated a second before putting another snack on the plate, but she did it anyway and pretended she wasn't troubled about it "I know."

"I'm sorry" When the dimensional girl looked at her confused, she cleared up "I haven't known what was happening to you, if I knew I wouldn't have invited him; you need him by your side…"

"You should have anyway" The princess said smiling at Jackie "Marco is happy, he's only thinking about how he's going to handle there, but besides that he's really happy. I… didn't know until a week ago, but I'm happy too!" She tried to sound euphoric about it, but it sounded more like a whine "I was a bit worried of how things would be after I leave, because he was so agonized about not knowing what to do after graduation… I am relieved to know he'll be with you. I'm sure you both will be ok."

Jackie looked at the snacks, stopping placing them for a second. The princess didn't noticed, she was trying to concentrate to organizing the plates, pretending that it didn't bother her.

After a few minutes in silence, the Mewnian spoke up again. "What university you're going to?"

"I'm going to James Cook University, on Townsville" She replied. Star looked at her with wide eyes and Jackie laughed "What?"

"So you're choosing the Power Puff Girls over _me_?" She pretended to be offended and Jackie laughed "You know, I'm way cooler!"

"I'm sorry" Jackie said laughing at Star still pretending to be upset on a huge dramatic way. The skater turned to the other blond and bit her lip before speaking again. "Star, I…"

"Where's the party?!" The shout of someone interrupted her. They looked at the entrance where Justin arrived with Brittany and a few more classmates. The rich girl was clearly bothered to be there, but she didn't say anything, just kept holding her boyfriend's arm.

Star immediately rose up and went to greet them. Jackie sighed, she lost opportunity to talk to her about this matter again.

People got there faster than anyone expected. Luckily, everything was already arranged so the party when on without a problem. When Marco arrived, he had a bit of trouble to find the girls. He looked out and found Ferguson and Alfonso goofing around, he could see Janna on the kitchen, but signs Jackie or Star; and he needed to talk to both of them.

Well, he needed to talk to Jackie and keep pestering Star.

Marco knew it was childish what he was doing, what they really needed to do was to sit and _talk_. To say everything they got to be said, be it good or bad they _needed_ a honest conversation to figure out what's next. Was he upset about her shutting him out of her room? _He was mad,_ but he could understand, or better saying, he _may_ be able to understand if she just _freaking talk_ to him instead of avoiding the matter like this was a mission impossible movie.

So (after a sleepless night on thousands thoughts of possibilities of why she was acting like that) he decided that, if Star wouldn't talk with him, he would annoy her in any way possible until she finally gives up and tell him what was happening.

The princess didn't notice at first, but when she cut her finger while cutting an apple, he took her finger as an excuse to see the cut; then he took the cut on his mouth to wipe the blood off. She flushed red when she felt the light sucking and then his tongue licking the little cut; the teenager never saw her hearts going so red before she disentangled from him and run out the kitchen. Marco couldn't hold the laugh, and he knew she heard it. So Star knew from that moment on he was doing on purpose.

He went to the kitchen to ask Janna about the girls, she was getting another plate of snack ready since the others were almost out.

"Hey" Marco saluted getting one of the snacks.

She saluted back "Hey, Safe Kid."

"You guys won't ever stop calling me like that, will you?"

Janna shrugged laughing at him, this would get on his nerves for the rest of his life " _Sure_ we will, when stop being funny" she replied with all the sassy she could. They headed to the living room, she put the snacks on the table and Marco got another one to eat.

"Where are Star and Jackie?" He asked after a bite.

"Star burnt herself while trying to light a candle" Marco choked as soon as the information was told, but Janna was busy dismissing it and pointed to the pool where flowers and few candles floated "Jackie went to the bathroom with her to aid the burn."

Marco slapped his own chest in attempt to breathe again "Star is _hurt_? How did you let this happen?!" He looked around trying to found the blond hair "Where is she?!"

Janna rolled her eyes and went to turn some music on. "Calm down, knight boy. Your princess is fine; she's just in another castle." He was about to snap back at her when she pointed to the corridor where they had come from "Upstairs; left; last door; bathroom. They're there; now go to your quest" And he did before she finish her sentence.

He sprinted out the room and turned to go upstairs when he heard two familiar voices chatting and laughing. Marco looked up and saw two people going down, the light upstairs was off, so he was just able to see silhouettes.  
When they got closer to go downstairs, then he recognized blond hair from both persons, so he just stopped there crossing his arms while waiting they get down.

Star was first, he recognized by her skin white as porcelain and the high heels (the only one from another seven she said it did not hurt her feet, it was light blue with two bows (one at the front and another by the straps). She was distracted by talking with Jackie coming right after her. As soon as the princess was in enough light, Marco couldn't keep his eyes off her.

She was using a dark blue dress; it made contrast with her white skin and her hair a lot more brilliant. It went up until her neck and tied on a lace, there was a cleavage from her neck to her bust, but it was small and it was impossible to see anything. As it was sleeveless, he could see she was not using any accessories (which was weird since she made the habit to be using a least one since a while ago.)

When the light shone on her face, Marco could swear he had given a light gasp.

Blond locks were tied on a ponytail by a black fluffy thing (he had no idea of how to call); the tiara had black cat ears (he wondered if the ponytail was supposed to be the cat's tail). He just noticed the earrings with pearls and stars; it just make her look even more adorable.

Marco just kept starring at her going down stairs. He didn't even know why he was so charmed by her at the moment, it wasn't like he had never seen her in this look, he have seen her dressed fancier before; then why his heart was so loud right now?

She suddenly noticed him and stopped on her tracks startled. He tried to make a sound and tell her to go down that nothing would happen, he would not tease or trouble her… Not right now anyway; but the words didn't come out his mouth. They just kept watching each other, Marco could feel something pulling him to her, but he refuse to move. He was scared…

Why?

Between their sudden tension and silent argument to the other and themselves, Jackie was completely oblivious of what was going on, so she looked above the princess' shoulder and smile when she saw the dark haired boy. The skater went down quickly, hugging him.

"You are here!" She said happily.

Marco went back to reality together with Star. They blinked twice before taking any kind of action. He looked down and hugged the Jackie back, before stepping back to look at her "Of course I am!" He smiled "This is celebration to the future!"

Star bit her lower lip and got down at once, she had winced a bit when she heard the last part of it, so Marco looked at her and recalled what Janna said; he let go of Jackie and hurried to Star, grabbing her face while tilted her head to the sides, up and down "Janna said you got burnt. It hurts?" When he saw nothing on her face, he took her wrist and lifted her arms to look at them "Where is it? We need to go to a hospital?"

Star got out of his hold laughing at his worry as Jackie did too. He was confused until she put her thumb up right on his face, _then_ he saw the burnt. It was so little that it was insignificant, it just marked at her skin a bit "I don't know how to use a lighter" She shrugged "I was holding it wrong."

Marco held her hand and pulled her hand right in front of his eyes dropping his jaw. It was unbelievable he got so worried at that little thing; it was smaller than a bean! He let go of her hand and screamed angry at Janna that was chatting close by "Janna, don't just tell me she got burnt! You worried me senseless!"

Janna rolled her eyes "You didn't let me finish."

Marco sighed and turned to look at the two blond girls that kept laughing at him "It's not funny!" He objected.

"Actually, it is." Jackie replied.

He made a face, and then looked at Star's hands to make sure it was just that. He noticed her empty arms again, she usually used something (like a bracelet or gloves) when the dress was sleeveless; she said her arms felt too nude without anything. She wasn't using any kind of ring too. That was weird. He raised one eyebrow curious. "Where are your bracelets?"

Star took her arm back and rubbed her wrist, clearly missing the accessories "I had nothing that would match the earrings" She replied, and then put her hands on her back, as if it was uncomfortable with her arms showing "So I didn't use anything. I don't want to take them off."

Marco frowned; Star wasn't the material kind, why using the earrings was such an issue? He sighed lightly to dismiss the topic and crossed his arms. "Anyway… Look, _princesa_ , we need to talk" Before he could finish, the song playing on the living room changed to a pop song and Star gasped loudly and started bouncing while clapping happily.

"I _love_ this song!" She went hurried to the living room, pulling Janna on the way by her wrist. He stopped on the middle, got the wand out her purse, took the lights off and created a disco ball on the ceiling along with colored lights on it. The teenagers there cheered on and begin to dance together.

Marco stared bewildered at her dancing and laughing with Janna. She just created a dance floor on Janna's living room just to _avoid him_? Really?! He took a long inhale massaging his temples and then a long and _really tired_ sigh. She will just keep running away from him? For real?

"What is it?" Jackie asked by his side, then she looked back at Star and then him. "You guys are still on a fight?"

"It can't be helped if she keeps running away from me instead of _talking_ " He huffed.

Jackie gave a light laugh at him "Let's get you a soda so you'll cool your head" She said pulling him to the kitchen.

He looked back at Star that was dancing with one of his classmates, he was turning her around while she laughed, having a fun time. He shouldn't bother himself with that… Then why he got upset when the guy twisted her with him? He shook his head and went after Jackie, he had to talk with her too about going to Australia with her.

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It was cool outside, but not cold. There were few people dancing on the song playing, but as Marco looked around for Star, he couldn't spot her. He was trying to talk to her again. He saw Ferguson dancing with a girl (he give him a thumb up for having success in that at least), Alfonso was chatting with Janna and Jackie about an adventure they had few months ago.

He looked beyond the pool, then he saw her close to a tree. She was flying close to a branch where a black cat was trying to get down. Marco gave a small smile and got closer. She landed on her feet gracefully and made her wings disappear. The princess sat on a bench close by, caressing the cat's fur while he purred grateful for getting down.

The cat lifted his gaze to Marco, he meowed and jump out of Star's lap to jump the fence later and disappear into the night. Star pouted at it and sighed, she didn't seem to have noticed him so he took the chance to sit beside her. She jumped a little when she noticed his presence and tried to leave went he put his hand above hers on the bench to keep her where she was.

"We need to talk" Marco said keeping his gaze ahead, looking to the flowers and candles on the pool floating peacefully.

"There's nothing to talk about" She said quietly, also avoiding more contact than their hands.

"There it is" Marco affirmed again, annoyed by her insistence to ignore the topic. "Star, _stop_ ignoring the problem and _talk to me_. Please, this fight had been long enough" He squeezed her hand a bit "There's something happening to you as it has been happening to me. I'm open to solve it, but I can do it alone"

Star bit her lower lip, he could feel her hand beneath his tense up and close into a fist, he guessed the one by the other side should also be like that "It's not like I don't want to… I _can't_. I can't bring myself to _do it_. I…" She sighed looking around at the party "I wish I there wasn't nothing to tell. That I had nothing to do, but… This…" Star looked at her high heels and shook her head, unable to finish.

Marco sighed tilting his head back and looking at the dark sky "Star, how could I help you if I don't know what's going on?"

"You can't." She said, he looked at her, meeting frustrated and tired blue eyes "I can't help myself either."

"Hey, guys!" Ferguson called from the living room entrance to no one in particular "We gonna play truth or dare, if you want to play come in!"

People got in, either to pay as to watch. Star was fast to get up and got her hand free from his, but he was also fast into holding her wrist pulling her to another direction. He hide behind a bigger tree, where no one could see them clearly, holding her hand tightly and intertwined their fingers, the pulled her close to him, caressing her cheek as she kept looking away. His eyes were too gentle; his fingers caressing her hearts were warm… He leaned on the tree while in thought, trying to be comprehensive.

"Then let's run away" Star looked at him startled. Her eyes were wide in surprise and he smiled "Run away with me, where no one will find us and you'll be able to be free and help yourself with whatever you want… What do you say?" He smiled gently at her.

Star looked at him lost for a moment. He was serious, he cared about her that much. If this was the Star from years ago, the high spirited, carefree, innocent and young, she would probably have accepted and went with him to wherever, to enjoy their youth and escape responsibilities… but she wasn't.

She grew up. She learned. She matured. Even if she was still high spirited and happy girl, she had conscious on her responsibilities, on her role as a Mewnian princess, on being the Wand guardian. She was _born_ like that. She can't change or ignore it once she realized how important she is to her kingdom, to mewnians, to her parents…

She can't runaway from who she truly is.

The princess smiled back gently, holding his hand and taking it off her face to hold his hands together with hers. The mewnian looked at him again with sympathy "Marco, I appreciate your intentions, I really do… But I'm a princess. The first, one and _only_ heir to the Crown of Mewni. I can't run away from this…"

He huffed to himself, looking away from her. Of course not. What a stupid idea. He forgot that Star had a whole kingdom to take care while all he had to think right now is what career to take and university entrance exams. He couldn't help her, she couldn't do nothing about nor run away, what could be done?

He had no idea.

Star tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Looking back at her surprised, she giggled faintly caressing the cheek kissed "Marco, it's ok. It will be okay… _I_ will be okay. I just need to figure something out and this time I _must_ do this alone, but I'll be fine."

He hold her hand on his face. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know." She replied sincerely. Before Marco could say anything else, she took her hands out of his grasp and turned around to go back to the party bouncing. "Let's go! I wanna play truth or date!"

"It's truth or _dare_ " Marco pointed out following her.

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That was a bad idea.

A bad _bad_ idea.

Star wished she never had such idea, or even better, that she could even go back in time and fly away singing "I'm out" while going back home when she got the chance. She stomped the steps of the stairs on the way to her room. Marco got home a few seconds after her, running upstairs before she could close her door. The boy pushed it open, grabbed her hand and pulled her to his room even with her protests. He closed the door and stood in front of it to prevent her to escape through it.

"Ok, that's enough; spill it out!" He snapped frustrated.

"I told you I can't say it!" She replied in annoyance.

"If that's true then Jackie wouldn't know it!"

Star stared at him in shock. He knew that Jackie had known about her departure?! "What did she told you?!" She inquired.

Marco crossed his arms "She said nothing, but it's obvious she knows. And I know you and Janna did that on purpose!"

He was right. Star heard when he was talking to Jackie. She heard him wondering at her why she was doing everything she could to make him spend time with Star, Jackie was surprised and blurted " _She haven't told you?_ "

And that was all Marco needed to understand that Jackie already knew the situation while Star haven't told him anything yet. Before he could ask anything, they heard a " _look out!_ " and a bouncing ball hit the wall between them. Both teenagers got down as well as the people on the room, it broke a light and a portrait, but the final hit was on a pile of empty soda cans on the other side of the room _completely opposite to Marco and Jackie_. Star got up to look and smiled; no can on the table. The princess looked at Janna who was also surprise. Then both girls raised their arms screaming in victory, the rest of people there did the same. Jackie was able to get away from Marco, so she was safe from questions.

The same could not be said to the Mewnian.

"You were troubling Jackie!" Star defended herself.

"You told _her_ , but not _me?!_ " Marco said upset on her behavior "I thought we were best friends!"

"We _are!_ This has nothing to do with our friendship!" She replied getting angry at his attitude.

He raised his arms in surrender "I give up! I give up on patience with this, Star! It's been _weeks_ and you haven't said a word! But you apparently have no problem in talking with others about this matter!" He huffed messing his hair "Is it personal? I did something and this is how you take revenge on me?!"

"What?!" Star gave a sassy laugh, she didn't believe on what she just heard "Now _I_ am the one getting revenge? How about the way you were acting the last two weeks?" She begin to count on her fingers "Talking Spanish, making nachos only for yourself, walking shirtless, sucking my cut the other day, get too close at any opportunity… I won't even begin to talk about the truth or dare!"

"I did take it was revenge, but it was only because you were too stubborn to talk for God's sake!" He pulled part of his hair "I mean, you still refuse to talk about what happened in your room."

"It was pure heat, hormones and pheromones, there's nothing…"

Marco interrupted raising his voice to overcome hers "That's not the truth and you know it!" She took a step back, surprised by his outburst "I was _there_ , I could _feel it_. That was different from before; all this it's different from when we were younger!" He said gesturing as if would help him to make his point "At that time I could feel my body changing and all, this time it's not like that. It's not the pheromones that are pushing me to you!"

"Then what?" She replied frustrated "You think its fine to do whatever you think because you wanted answers?! Let me tell you, _it's not!_ "

"Then what should I do?!" Marco screamed at her, she winced, the agony in his voice was so clear that she almost felt it hurt on her if she wasn't so angry right now "What should I do for you tell me what's going on? Just tell me and I'll stop doing all those things!"

"Nothing! There's nothing you can do!" She replied on the same tone to him "You'll _never_ know about it! I'll never tell you! That's it!" She screamed back. The princess took a breath and let it out a dubious laugh "You say you'll stop once I tell you? Then bring on! Do whatever you want and see if I care!"

Star passed by his side in direction of the door behind him. So she thought it would be fine to tell him something like that and get away? She hadn't any intention of telling him _anything_? She told Jackie and _Janna_! Why she couldn't tell him? And she thought it would be fine like that?!

 _Hell. No._

She just opened the door when his hand closed it again. He was leaning behind her, using his weight to keep the door closed when she tried to open again. The princess huffed, but refused to face him. She tried once again and he put even more force to keep it closed.

"Let me go."

It wasn't a question, it was a demand. The tone was an order from the princess to her knight and all he could was to obey her. She had this right. Star was the princess, future Queen and soon to rule the kingdom of Mewni. If she said she wanted something, people had to accomplish.

But he's not a knight and they're not in Mewni.

"Why it would be fine if I do whatever I want?" Marco asked.

Star sighed, her hand still on the door handle, just waiting him finish speaking to open the door and run to her own room "You're free, Marco. You can do whatever you please, different from me. You have _choices_ , I have _duties_. You can make your own fairy tale and happily ever after, I can only _hope_ it happens" She said still looking at the knob.

"That's not true" Marco replied sadly "What if my ever after depends on someone else? Like the trust of my best friend on me?"

"Your best friend trusts you. She always had… But this matter goes beyond friendship."

He huffed at her reply "Then what?" He was incredibly close to her. He didn't even notice leaning closer, but now their bodies were inches apart. He could feel her warmth, the essence of her perfume and shampoo, her aura was wrapping him once again and he wondered if that had anything to do with the pheromones… No, it was beyond that body thing she had. Marco didn't know how to make out of it.

The voice of his best friend was wavering when she finally got to reply him "Then you'll live your life and I'll live mine."

No. That was definitely not good. He doesn't want that _at all_. Marco called her, realizing she was the one most upset and hurt on all this mess. She shook her head, refusing to look at him; he let a small breath "I don't want that."

"This matter it's not on your hands to decide."

"Then trust on me too!" He pleaded again.

"No!"

 _No?!_ Marco groaned angrily at her stubbornness " _Fine then_ "

To be sincerely, Marco wasn't thinking when he acted. All he knew was that he was frustrated and angry, so he did the first thing it came to his mind, the one thing and reason why stormed out the party when he got on the Truth or Dare.

He kissed her neck.

His lips went to the back of her neck before he could really think on what he was doing. Star jumped startled when she felt his lips on her; she tried to push him off, but he used his free hand to hold her belly and pull her closer to him. The princess felt the blood rush to her cheeks, but kept protesting against anyway. Marco knew his limits; he may haven't think on kissing her neck, but he wasn't out of his mind.

Star turned around to try pushing him off her. She had to get out before it was too late and they did something they would regret, she could already feel herself enjoying and melting to him and _she shouldn't do that_. He didn't move away from her, instead, he only took the chance to hold her wrists against his door, one above her head and the other one by her side. She kept trying to escape, but he didn't even flinch a centimeter away, all while his lips made whatever way Marco could think.

The princess squirmed beneath him, still trying to get free, but if her gasps meant anything, it probably was that he shouldn't stop.

There was a moment when she wasn't fighting to push him off, but to get closer he noticed. He kept kissing her neck fiercely, traveling from nape to jawline, to close from her ear and down to her shoulders. Marco couldn't remember when he undid the dress' lace on her neck, but he did and now he was kissing his way to the other side of her neck, noticing her uneven breathing and how she was getting heavier. He put one of his legs between hers to give support.

The teenager noticed she stopped trying to get her hands free, so the hand holding hers right one above their heads slide from her wrist to her hand, then to her fingers and intertwined them together. The other let go of her wrist to hold her face and tilt to the side to give him more accessibility to her neck and she holds her breath for a second; her hand finding its way to his hair.

She pushes his strands slightly and Marco holds back a curse by kissing harder; it took one second to find his weak point and how to use it. Star holds his hand tighter between her fingers. He licked her neck, feeling how the shiver went through her whole body. She's breathing loudly, her mouth is too close from his ear and that was giving him more fuel to keep that. Marco went back to the other side of her neck, calmly and tenderly and begins to kiss her jawline gently.

How his angry kisses turned to heated and then to tender? Honestly, he didn't care.

A light moan escaped from her lips in the form of his name; a hand was holding her back, pressing her against him tighter, while hers were still on his hair. He kissed carefully his way until he kissed right beside her ear "Star?" She gave out a sigh that signalized she was listening, even in haze.

Marco stepped back, holding her face in both his hands he pulled her along with him so they weren't pressed on the door anymore. His forehead touched hers as he looked on her eyes, both faces red and lungs out of breath.

He didn't have to say anything, his eyes said if all. She looked back at him, hearts bright faintly on the dark room. It took a second to understand his question.

He wanted to kiss her. Not because of pheromones or anything, he _really_ wanted to kiss her. To feel her lips on him, her arms hugging him close and that the only thing on her mind was him. He _wanted_ that; almost desperately. The longing on his eyes on her told the truth, he wanted her to be entranced by him just like he somehow was on her.

To her to like him as much as he realized he liked her.

Star gave a light smile, holding his hands and slipping from her face. Her hands found their way to his neck, fidgeting his nape. Marco closed his eyes, leaning in her direction, longing for her lips…

Instead, Star stepped back and he got a slap on his face.

It took three seconds to Marco realize that Star had _actually_ slapped him. He touched his sore cheek and then looked back at his friend that was still with the same hand that slapped him up. He could see how watery her eyes were even in the dark of the room with only the moonlight to shine anything. The worst part wasn't the pain on his cheek, was the _so_ disappointed and hurt eyes on him. The princess sniffed when she got one of his hands and put something on it.

"If this doesn't mean anything to _you_ , it sure does to me and the girl who wears the other part" One tear slides from her eye, she gulps before she finishes " _Stop_ messing around with _me_ " And then Star opened his door quick as she can, storming out to close herself on her own room.

Marco opened his hand to find a key pendant on it. _His girlfriend_. That's why she got to upset, that's why things were so confusing, that's… That's why she was so hurt and disappointed on him.

He was a jerk.

And he messed up really bad.

.

.

.

On her room, she looked at the phone screen with puffy red eyes from crying. She kept looking of Marco's picture with his girl on the background of his phone. He had forgotten on her purse, after giving for her to keep while he was on the Truth or Dare (so if anyone asked him to jump on the pool, the phone was safe). A symbol twinkled on the phone and she looked at the contact texting Marco.

 _GF._

Star let out a sigh before replying the girl.

" _Hey. Star here. Marco forget his phone with me."_

" _Oh, fine!"_ Marco's girlfriend replied _"How R U?"_

" _Fine."_ Star typed back _"Just tired."_

" _Marco said U n him had been fighting a lot. U guys didn't mk up?"_ She asked.

" _Yeah. Most of times it's my fault, I'm too stressed lately. I don't think we will make it up so soon."_

It had been few minutes since the last text. She was almost sleeping, she put the cellphone on the side and laid down to try sleep. The mewnian had just closed her eyes when the phone gave a notice of a new message, and curious nature of hers, she looked at the last text received.

" _Y U won't tell Marco U luv him?"_

* * *

 _Ok, so you guys are happy did you enjoy? are you all feeling the guilty for wishing Star would kiss Marco even though he has a girlfriend just like the beta-readers had?_

 _Oh yeah, if you go to my tumblr ( artgirllullaby) you can find a few chapters with Lyoko's art! take a look if you can :)_

 _And about the delay for the cahpters, here a few things happened:_

 _\- On my college we have a final work by the end of each semester, it had to take all the class and out group must show what you learned on it. It should be easy, but two weeks before the due, I found out that (out of 8) only 4 REALLY did their parts, so I had to take my all to fill in or I would also loose points. In bralizian we have a expression we say "Papel de trouxa" which basically means "You're an idiot who have been fooled"_

 _\- right after the final work, come the exams. I wanted to post this before because I knew I wouldn't have time on the exams. But then the work was to much to do I had no way to do it._

 _\- My exams week had been delayed, but then, my boss was here, so I couldn't write/fix at work because he's the devil itself. and after work I was on classes, so... no time to post *sighs*_

 _\- Then I failed a exam, I had to take again to try go to the next stage... i faled. I'm very upset about that because I thought I had learned everything... And the stress from work, the deception on myself and all, I had an anxiety attack that led to a depression attack that took days to get over it. (Thanks mom, for hearing me out and helping be getting better, i love you)_

 _\- A girl at work got her vacations (just when I took vacations on school too *cries*) and I had to take her part of the work because... apparently I fit better .-. (I know, makes no sense)_

 _\- And at last, DID SEE THE SIZE OF THIS CHAPTER?! I have no idea on hwo it came out so huge! I tried to exclude wrods because I know how tiring it can be reading on internet long chapters. I took a scene out and got rid of 2k words, but then when I was editing the last scene, I realized that THERE WAS 10K WORDS. I don't even know where they came from! I didn't add any scene! I tried to clean more and... 9k words. I gave up, because I wastired and there was nothing else I could take out._

 _Well, long story short, I didn't have time, and when I had I just wanted to vanish, and then I have to face 23 pages to fix. I'm better now though. Just suffering from side effects (sleep deprived, body tired and such), but that's it. I'm still alive and that's what matters :)_

 _Now that I explained my drama, I can say I hope you have enjoyed the chapter and I hope to be able to post the next soona dn don't worry. The nest is all fluffy compared to this one :D (at least that's what one of my beta said)_

 _*hugs*_

 _\- AGL_


	8. After Trespassing

_Hi everyone!_

 _UIt took very long, but it's finally here! Classes are taking too much of my focus and I have a major trouble with a homework... I still will be absent for a time because of it *sigh*_

 _Anyways, shout out for the f_ _av and follows from Author Smimph, EBFIFA, Hyper-Blossom Z, abbydobbie, , Angelz1251, Lyn29, infered5, car213, sw4284, cartoon-reject, Pebblesplash56, batgirl279, thank you very much! I hope you guys keep enjoying the story!_

 _Also, a big shout out to **EVAunity42** for beta-reading the new chapters and helping me to fix English mistakes! Tahnks very much E! (psst, go read his stories, they are GOOOOD stuff!)_

 _Oh yeah, the first scene may be uncomfortable because of... *cof cof smut cof cof* If so, put on the search bar "alarm" and it will go to the exactly part where the smut is over. You can read there on :)_

 _Without further ado, here we go! I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8: After Trespassing**

He shouldn't be there. She shouldn't be there. And maybe it's because it seems like a good kind mistake to make, it only thrills him more.

Marco should admit, it doesn't matter what it goes on his mind or body, he's into his best friend. Hopelessly, helpless and merciless, with no way to back down. He knows it's wrong, he knows he shouldn't do it, but it's the truth. If anything to prove, the daydreams and thoughts about kissing her were more occurring and more heated by each time.

And he knows he shouldn't want that, but what to do?

He knows things are getting out of control on both of them, but he just can't get a hold to think about it when a simple conversation had led to them to kiss each other senseless. He's sitting cross legged on the bed with Star on his lap, legs apart on each side of him. There was no space between their bodies, his hands are occupied by grabbing and feeling every curve he could without going beyond his boundaries and end up offending her (he simply couldn't do anything without her word. Star was too precious for him to break her trust because of his hormones), her hand had found out his weak point on his hair, pulling, pushing and massaging as she pleased, the other one was on his back clutching his hood to hold him close.

And her lips, _oh God her lips…_ Her lips were a blessing of the sweetest kind. They were savage, intense and intimate, at the same time as caring, tender and loving. She keeps moving against his endlessly, like she wants him to go crazy without knowing it makes so much more than this. It makes him insane, craving, tender, spicy, loved, angry, hungry, longing... It makes him feel everything he could all at once.

It tastes like heaven.

Her hand is sinful as she keeps pulling him closer, the other is also sinful when she pulls his hair slightly so she can make him more light head, and her lips are the most delicious sin when she attempts to deepen the kiss, so he can feel her tongue moving with his. She bites his lower lip, only to provoke him; he returns it by pulling her closer holding her hips, the princess let a light moan escape and he takes the chance to make her breathless.

She has to push him a bit to be able to bring some air to her lungs, but he doesn't stop and get to work on kissing her neck, biting lightly and sucking the same spot. She breathes his name and Marco grabs her harder, to show how good it feels to hear that. She turns her head to the side, one hand holds his face and directs his lips to hers once again; holding her lower back, he hugs her tighter.

Marco knows this is wrong, but _dear Lord it feels so good_. He knows that Star isn't anything like that; he knows that this is too impure and way too far from where they stand (even more after their fight last night), for those innocent and gentle eyes look at him like this and her lips to ever kiss him with this hunger...

He knows this is a dream. And yet, he insists on it since is the only way he can enjoy these moments and he wants the _most_ of it, he longs for something like this _so much_ it surprises himself.

Bodies together, souls attached, lips locked, hands hugging the other one close, and the two of them on kisses like the end of the world was right before them. He doesn't want to go away. It feels like he _belongs_ there, with her. It's better to keep dreaming than to look at her and acknowledge it's impossible, or worst, to try to face her after his flaw on last night.

So he keeps on his dreams, where even the sins could be forgiven and forgotten and there were no mistakes to be made and nothing to be afraid of. Dreams doesn't hurt after all. Marco holds on the dream of feeling Star giving it all he wished he could give her openly and free, he holds on it like a life force...

But apparently, his alarm has other plans.

He groans when the annoying ring goes on his ears. The entire dream is gone and the bitter reality kicks his door open yelling "Guess what?!" at his dead face for the lack of resting. Marco shouts the alarm off and shoves the pillow on his face, hoping it makes dark enough for him go back to sleep since it's Saturday and he had nothing to do. He could go back to sleep and pretend he hadn't forgotten to turn the alarm off after yesterday misfortune, hopefully he could go back to the dream he was before.

 _He wish_ , his brain must have sign up with his alarm to make him to wake up by now, because he can't stop thinking, relax and go back to sleep, and his body feels too hot (but that was a matter totally different and embarrassing). Marco huffs, mumbling a curse while getting up realizing that sleeping isn't a plan anymore. Grabbing his towel and a set of clothes for the day, he goes to the bathroom quietly. After closing the bathroom door behind him and getting into the shower, he relaxes at least.

The young man touches his forehead on the cold tiles, sighing as he remembers last night. The moment he saw that look on Star's face, everything around him was shattered. Marco wasn't her knight magical prince from another dimension or anything, but if there was something he had to be _absolutely sure_ on his life, was that Star was alright. He didn't care if he lost something along the way; all he needed to know was if his best friend was fine.

And she surely wasn't.

The new feelings he found about her and the tension she was lately was a disaster of a combination; he wanted so desperately to _feel_ it (and understand once for all what was all this mess of feelings) and she was so troubled by something (that certainly had to be with Mewni and the inheritance of the Crown) that the collision only caused to both of them get bruised over and over.

It hurt him because every single time Star shoved him away from her _hurt_ like a bullet.

And Star because something troubled her at the point she was _unable_ to talk it out with him.

Their needs were too opposites to get through. He was troubling her even more with all this sudden longing he got. As much he understands he was into his best friend and he liked her, there was a very important matter about all this he needed to answer at all costs, something that would change it all to _so much_ better or to the _worst_ possibilities he could think of…

How much did he _liked_ her and how much he could expect to get it back?

And to makes things worse, he had a girlfriend. Different from his feelings to Star, he knew he liked her – A lot, longer than the time than his rising feelings for Star begin to show. At the same time, he felt the same way Star said she did when she broke up with Oskar. Things were just… Okay. Even though they were together and had plans, Marco didn't feel thrilled by it. It was just… _it._

This all just was adding things to feel guilty about it. How he was supposed to make it up for last night? Now with a cool head under the water he realized he had indeed pushed their boundaries too far. She may have enjoyed the moment, but it didn't mean she liked to have been _forced_ into it. Star deserved better and that moment should have been with someone she liked more than a friend… And as far as he knows, he was only her best friend.

He looked at his fingers, remembering how good it felt on both times their finger were intertwined, how that simple action make everything so much better, deeper and… _intimate_.

Too good to resist, too bad emplacement.

When he realized his fingers were wrinkled, he was too long on the bath already without realizing. So much water wasted on him just there thinking about it all, about his girlfriend, his best friend and himself. Marco got out the shower, changed into daily clothes and went down to take his breakfast before going to train, or a run. Anything to clear his mind and find a solution.

When he went into the kitchen his father was eating a toast while reading an online newspaper on his phone, his mother was washing a cup (probably of the juice she usually drink at mornings) and his best friend nowhere to be seen. It relieved and worried him at the same time.

"Good morning." He said while opening the fridge door.

His father only hummed since he was munching a piece of toast, his mother looked over her shoulder to him smiling. "Good morning, sweetie." She dried her hands on a towel and took the cup and a plate she had already washed and begun to dry them when she turned to him. "Do you know if Star had a misunderstanding with someone?"

Marco was glad he wasn't drinking anything; he would have choked up on whatever drink he had. He slowly rose up from the fridge and looked at her pretending innocence. "Uh… Why do you ask?"

His mother gave a light sigh looking on the direction it would be her room. "She didn't come to breakfast so I went to see her, she said she was tired and not hungry. But she looked weary for someone who just woke up…" His mother explained.

He sighed, scratching his neck as if he wasn't aware of what's going on, but thinking about possibilities. Marco hated when his parents got into his matters with Star, every time they fought and they were aware of it, caused to them pushing both teens into each other until they make it up.

"Maybe… I wasn't aware of how upset she had got over it. I'll try talk to her." He said.

Half true. He knew she was upset, but not _how much_. And now with his parents aware of her state, it would be harder to avoid their talk until he had cleared his mind. By other point of view, it was also good, because if she wasn't willing to talk to him, maybe he could ask help to his mother or push her to talk to him using his parents as excuse. It wasn't right, but they were out of many choices to solve their problem.

"Thank you, Marco." His mother smiled, placing the dishes on their right place.

He would try, but figuring out how she fled away from him when her pheromones had influenced him on the tickle attack, it wouldn't be easy (and the fact that this time was _his_ fault didn't help anything – It only made it worse.) He tried to think on something, but right now all he can do is listen to his stomach reclaiming food.

Marco lifted his head, a sudden idea coming to his mind and he gave a half smile; getting up to prepare his food and developing a plan.

.

.

.

.

Forty minutes later, he was at Star's door step. He knocked with a bit of difficulty since he was trying to balance everything on the other hand. She didn't answer, so he slightly opened the door, carefully to be sure she wasn't changing or anything (last time something like that happened he was blown away from the house right into the cactus again). When he saw her already changed to a yellow dress, but lying on her bed in a fetal position while hugging the pillow she rested her head on; he excused himself in.

"I brought your breakfast." He smiled to the tray with everything she liked on breakfast (well, everything they had at home), she loved to have breakfast on her bed; his parents and him did that once in a while to each other. She doesn't move from hugging her pillow or gave any traces to be listening. "We have _cheese bread_ …" He insisted, trying to sound excited by singing the last part, but failing when she hadn't a reaction.

Marco shook his head sighing. Gently laying the tray with their breakfast at her drawer, he sat on the edge of her bed to look at the blond. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she was awake. Star was no girl that slept ladylike or charming as she was. Her hair was tangled on few places as she probably hadn't combed it yet. Marco lifted his hand to put on her arm, but after so much contact last night it probably was better to avoid touching her until they were even.

Her door was just a bit open, the privacy of this talk guaranteed, but not compromised; it was just in case his mother came to check them, she wouldn't interrupt or listen to anything, but she would be able to see if was alright.

"Star, I know you're awake." He said.

Blue eyes immediately opened, she blinked and huffed while pouting, clearly still upset on him and his presence right now. "Leave me alone." She mumbled.

"I can't do that." He replied, leaning back on his hands, so he was seeing her face better. " _I_ need to talk to you this time, and _please_ don't try to run away."

Star kept quiet, looking at the mirror on the other side of the room, he could see she was staring at her own reflection; the frown on her face was evident, she was really bothered by being pushed into this talk. He really needed to reassure they were going to be well afterwards.

"Star, to be sincerely, I also would like to avoid this… at least right now." He clarifies. "But mom already understood there's something wrong with you and she'll get into this until we are even again… And we both remember what happened last time." She shivered making a face at the memory; it was really an uncomfortable memory. He raised a hand a bit more confident to give a light pat on her arm. "So let's do this before they get themselves into this matter…"

"Don't touch me." She cut him off before he got touch her arm.

Marco got his hand back hurt by her words, but understanding. She was on her right to be distant from him; he not only did the… _make out with her neck_ without her permission, as he did while compromised with someone else and without understanding his own reasons. _Of course_ she was mad, she had all the rights to be mad at him and blast him away from her life for all he could count.

Marco turned around, intertwining his own fingers supporting his upper body on his elbows, resting them on his legs. Looking at his hands, he tried to formulate his ideas "I…" He took a deep breath trying to find the words to apologize with her. "I'm sorry; for all of this. I don't know what's happening with me lately, all I know is that I'm having this feeling of protecting you all the time and that you've been trying to fool me with something… I know something had changed, but I can't figure out what is exactly… I know you probably hate me right now and you have all the right to…"

"I don't hate you." Her voice suddenly interrupted him, so he turned to her. Her face wasn't annoyed anymore, she turned around just enough to face him, her legs still to the other side, hands rested on her stomach and her eyes were gentle on him. "Yes, I am mad _of course_ , but I don't _hate_ you Marco…" Her left hand extended to hold his right hand he rested on the mattress again without noticing. "You're my best friend, Marco. I could _never_ hate you."

By looking on those bright blue eyes, he felt the words slip once again, but this time he knew what he was talking, he had full conscience and sure of what to say. "I'm sorry, Star. You deserve better than a guy acting on his stress, hormones or something like that. I just… don't get myself lately; I'm having these dreams and feelings about you, so I kind of get lost every time we are too close and…"

Star shivers as she feels the back of his fingers on her neck, caressing so light and gently that if she didn't saw him doing, she wouldn't have noticed. It took a moment for her to realize that his ghost fingers were caressing the kiss marks on her neck, there wasn't many and they were light (mostly likely to fade in one or two days), yet she could see his eyes filled with regret for causing them "I'm _really_ sorry, Star."

She smiled at him, so softly and gently that he could swear he was melting. He felt her thumb draw circles on his hand and just them he realized their fingers were intertwined, how come this was so naturally on the point neither of them notice?

"Marco, I wasn't mad by… What you did." She said, avoiding his eyes, blushing slightly, "I'm mad because you did without my permission and while you have a perfect and fine girlfriend with whom you should be with. This kind of thing it's too intimate for even best friends do, as much as I _adore_ you, it's wrong."

"I know…" He sighs, "I don't know what I was thinking. I mean, I wanted to provoke you, but somehow I lost control over myself and… You know the rest."

She giggles at him. "Yeah, but… Let's keep a safe distance from now on, shall we? So we can figure this out." She sits and tries to take her hand, but he presses it down, holding their fingers still. The princess makes a face at their hands and looks at him.

"I don't want to be distant." He says, avoiding her blue eyes to look at their fingers "I feel like if we keep doing this, there will be a point we will no longer face each other or… We will lose each other somehow. I don't want that…"

The young man heard her gulp, maybe he was being annoying? Or nothing he said makes sense? Or she thought it was creepy? Instead of saying something, she gave a nervous laugh.

"We will part eventually, you know?" Star said, pushing her fingers, so she could hug her legs and rest the chin on her knees "I'll be back to Mewni eventually and you'll go to Townsville with Jackie and ask your girlfriend to marry you someday… Life will go on."

He took a breath, realizing this was partially true, "Star, that doesn't mean we will lose our bond." She changed her position, to rest her cheek on her knees, looking on her own eyes at the mirror's reflection "Besides, we can still visit each other, even if that was the case."

 _As far as you know,_ she thought.

"You'll have more important things to do." She replied.

"Well, if a magical princess can make time to be with me, a simple _Earth turd_ , I think I can manage to make it out too."

She let a light laugh bubbly out. "It would be fun. Can you imagine your children playing with me? I think it would be funny they trying to understand why my cheeks changes and the odds habits… Like munch a water drinker." She laughed reminding his face when he saw her doing that when they first met.

He frowned, she could see by his reflection. Why? Did he figured out something on what she said? He looked up at him to make sure. "Marco?" She asked.

"Why you?" When he realized she was confused by his question, he continued. "You said 'your kids and me'… Why _you_? You don't want to have kids?"

 _That slipped,_ she needed a half true. "I do want… A bunch of them actually." She admitted "I just can't imagine me with them or how they would be yet since… Well, since I'm single and stuff…" She shrugs, mentally gives herself a star of congratulation for the job well done when Marco nods understanding. This is really a half true.

"You can imagine mine, though?" He asks.

"I sure can!" She laughs. "If a boy, he will have your eyes, and try to be a bad boy, but actually being clumsy because your genes are too much for him." He pushes her leg slightly, "And if a girl…" She lets her imagination wander a bit for the dream she had another day, where she hold the hand of little bounce girl while Marco holds the other. "She would have your hair and the mole would be on the same place of yours; she would be the kind of nerd girl that beats every boy in the games. She would use a hood like the one from red riding hood, but she only wants to look more like her dad and…"

"Wow, you went really far on the girl."

Star doesn't say anything about her dream, about how the child had the heart on the cheeks, the blue eyes of her, the fact the she uses dresses and the hoods have always some kind of ears and she definitely wouldn't say about the dream she had about them… well, trying to give a sibling to the girl.

"I can picture her easier." Star giggles.

The tension and awkwardness is gone and now their silence is peaceful and calming, like the sky after rain, everything look shiny by the droplets here and there and it's refreshing. And somehow Marco understands why it feels like this, it's because they understand each other and their horizon amplified to something new and unknown. He's scared like he had never been before, but the excitement to learn about this new world is greater and he's only on the first steps; he can't wait to keep on.

On the same time, he's not sure if Star it's going with him into this new adventure, and he _needs_ her to go on.

Since they have just made up their friendship to steady again, he decides to let the subject go for now. But not before he notices something about what she said to tease her "So… You said you're mad because I have a girlfriend and I did without your permission."

She huffs "We _just_ got over this topic, are we _really_ going back into it again?"

"It's just something you said that let me curious." He explains and she shrugs to let him go on "So that means that if I hadn't a girlfriend and you were on a better mood, it would be okay for me to be harassing your neck?"

She blushes, her lips move like trying to find some function to retort him, but they just open and close like a fish. Her cheeks would probably light up the room if it was darker. He can't help the smug smile on his face "Was I _this_ good at it that makes you want _more_?"

When she realizes the teasing on his tone, the pillow behind her hands meets his face once and he laughs; while she still tries to hit him, his arms got up for protection her attacks. Finally, she uses the pillow to hide her blushing face and grumbles into it.

"I can break up with her to make out with your neck, you know?" He still keeps on teasing because it's too funny to stop.

She holds up the Wand on his face and (with her face still on the pillow) announces loud enough for him to hear. "Keep going on and I _will_ blast you away to another country."

His laugh dies down little by little, until he feels his stomach reclaim the food. So he gets up and sets the tray on the middle of her bed and sits on the other side to get the tray it's between them and they're both able to get anything on it. "Come on, I'm starving and I bet so are you."

With a blink, all the cheese breads are on her mouth, they're not too big and she loves those since another foreign student showed to the class how to make them two years ago. He's grateful he had eaten at least one and leave a few to his parents; this kind of treat isn't easily found if you don't live in Brazil like the guy did.

They eat comfortably, sometimes giving food one to the other to make fun. They're used to this; this is how they work out. There's nothing wrong between them anymore… Then why it feels like this will break apart at any second?

When she's finishing her juice, she decides to try another topic again.

"Marco?" He looks up at him, putting the empty cup of tea down "You have dark circles under your eyes."

As if magic, he yawns and rubs his eye "Yeah… You didn't expect me to sleep like an angel after a fight, did you?" He smiles and let out another yawn. Well, he had a _good_ dream, but he didn't _rest._ He got only three hours or so of sleep, his body was reclaimed the missed hours of dreaming.

She was only was able to sleep after crying for a while and talking to her friend for comfort… The same friend that happened to be Marco girlfriend.

" _What do you mean by that?" Star had replied the text, nervously chewing her lower lip._

" _Grl, it's bn long since I k"_

 _Star couldn't hold anymore, she dialed her number using Marco's own phone. When the voice of the girl said "Hello!" on the other side, Star flipped._

" _What in the world of heavens do you mean by you know since long ago?!" Star practically screamed._

 _There was a laugh on the other side "You guys are too obvious."_

" _I just knew few days ago!" She exclaims still understand the fact that Marco's girl-_ _ **freaking**_ _-friend knows about her huge crush on him._

 _There was a silence and then "Are you serious?"_

" _I am!"_

" _Gosh, you guys are slow."_

" _How can you be so calm about this?!"_

" _First, I know neither of you would stab on my back…" Star feels a stab on_ _ **her**_ _back about the comment, "Second, if this were to happen, it would have happened and both of you wouldn't be able to hide because you guys would be guilty and you both are horrible actors." This is kind of true "Third, I was ready for this from the moment Marco wanted me as his girlfriend."_

" _What?"_

" _Star-" She calmly says- "I'm fine with this. Marco choose me for now, but this is because he's too blind to look at his side, just as you were with Oskar. I'm okay with that, I had two years to get myself ready for this moment."_

" _But…" Star tries to come undone with the newest information. "What's going to happen with you and Marco?"_

" _Only he knows. The choice is his after all. He has to choose me or you to be by his side. Even so, the other one can still be friends, but the choice is only his." There's silence as Star thinks about this, and so the other girl speaks again "That's why you should tell him."_

When Marco rubbed his eye again, Star decided it was time for him to get some decent sleep. She took the empty tray and put aside. She called him softly (to not startle him), he was so tired that there was no resistance when she pulled him and he lay on his stomach, but that didn't stop the complaining as she lay by his side and caressed the brown strands.

"I can go sleep on my room…"

She smiled "My bed is more comfy and you can't even open your eyes, much less walk to your room."

He grumbled something as he adjusted himself to sleep on his side, on a way he was facing her, but keeping the safe distance between them. "How come your bed is so comfy? It's like a trap to sleep for all eternity..." He sighed.

"It's magic. Literally." She laughs lightly.

She waits some kind of answer, but there isn't one. By the way his breathing comes light and calm, she assumes he's asleep. So she gets closer just to kiss his forehead to the "good sleep" habit they had for some time; she let go of his hair and it's about to get up when his hand hold hers. She look back at him, his eyes still closed but she can tell he's not sleeping yet, just on the edge of it.

"Star…" He opens his eyes with the sleepy haze, holding her hand close to him, as if was a precious and fragile jewel "Let's go to the prom together."

She sighs tiredly "Marco, we talked about this…"

"No…" He complains holding her hand closer and tighter, as to prevent her from running away, "I mean it." He looks at her fingers as to examine the jewel value "You said to call her to the prom, but I don't feel like doing so… I haven't called you because of the moment, hormones, craziness or so…"

Star eyes widened in surprise by this statement. Soft brown eyes meets hers and she can tell with no doubts he's being sincerely, and this is not just a tired sleepy guy talking dreamy while almost asleep. This was a sincerely Marco talking the truth to her, from his very being.

She was about to retort when he continued talking "If you don't really want to go, I understand. We can both be home…" He yawns again before continuing "Is just… There's no one else I would like to go or want be there with it."

The princess looks at him in wonder, as if she's trying to picture this situation properly. Her blue eyes are confused, but also _so_ wishing… Marco decides to try again, collecting all the strength to keep his eyes open and intertwining their fingers once again to reassure her of this moment (this feels _so good_ ) and finally do the invitation properly.

"Star Butterfly, do you want to go to the prom with me and give me the honor to be your partner?"

She seems shocked to his invitation, but smiles after. It wasn't an inquisition for her to go with him like the other times, it was an honest question and gently invitation, seriously asking if she _wanted_ to go _and_ if she wanted to be there with him.

The way her face suddenly softens and her smile becomes gently, her image becomes enchanted and he's swallowed on the deepness of her eyes. She becomes something beyond his comprehension and better than he can ever dream. Her lips moves and the world seem brighter at the sound of her voice.

"Ok" she says. She get her hand free, supporting herself on her elbow and caress his cheek "I'll gladly go to the prom with you." He feels light, like a wind will blow him away from the face of Earth. When she gets closer to kiss his forehead again, he slow blinks and the princess smiles at him again, this time giving a light pat on his shoulder. "Now, sleep tight, my knight."

Marco decides that her voice _is_ magic as a matter of fact; because on the next time he blinks, his eyes are too heavy and the body relaxes as he's drifted to the state of dreaming.

.

.

.

She comes back into her own room minutes later, when she knows he's deep asleep and won't wake up so soon (but for reassurance, she cast a sleep spell on him). She takes his arm and caresses the region where the monster arm tattoo appears. Star does it twice until the mark shows up and Monster Arm yawns.

"Oh, princess?" he says in a mix of surprise and annoyance "What do I give the pleasure?"

"Monster Arm, I need to take you out."

He frowns in confusion "Like, you gonna rip the boy's arm off? Because, Y'know, I'm kinda of stuck here forever as a magical parasite?"

"There's a way to take you out," she replies, "I didn't say anything because you had been a help to Marco, but…"

"But…?"

She sighs "I need to erase every trace of Magic on Earth, so either you come with me or you'll disappear when I do it."

The magical parasite seems surprised, he seems contemplative at her, then went back to speak few seconds later "Does the boy know about this?"

"No."

"Will you tell him?"

"No."

He kept quiet for another moment before replying her "You should. He has the right to know."

"I know that, but I won't… I just can't tell him right now."

He sighed, the first time on all the times she saw him. It took her by surprise to see the parasyte caring about the two of them. "Star, I am his arm, which means I'm also part of his body and I know what goes on with him. How did you think I was able to save him right on time?"

Star exhales before replying, "I know that, but…"

"Then you should listen to me-" The monster interrupts- "And tell him. Everything. He's been too confused and this will make things clear." He doesn't let her retort as he keeps talking "He cares about you a lot, I can feel that. The boy doesn't want- he _needs_ to know the truth. He will be very and deeply hurt if he doesn't find out by you, but on any other way."

"I know that… I'm afraid to hurt him, that's why I am being so careful…"

The monster mark makes a face "You're afraid of hurting him or hurting yourself?"

The question get her off guard. It is a simple and yet important question, because she had never thought about it on that point of view and suddenly everything changes. She's avoiding the truth because she's afraid of hurting him or that he won't be affected by it? She's afraid of saying goodbye or to know by his own lips that he chooses someone else? She's afraid of her future or to know he doesn't mind his future without her?

As as the questions that change so much in so little time gets into her head, Monstar Arm decides he gave her enough to think and figure out what she truly wants and what she might need.

"I'll go with you." He replies after all "So, how do we do it?"

Star snapped to reality and decides to brush aside her insecurities for now. She lifts a jar on her hands to show him "This liquid will keep you alive until we found another host or some place you can live on."

Monster arm looked at the jar and make a sound of disapproval. "Are you sure you don't want rip his arm off? I kinda like here."

"I'm not hurting Marco, Monster Arm." she deadpanned at him.

"All right, all right, it's just a suggestion!" The mark takes a breath and smiles "I'm ready! Whenever you want to do it, just go ahead!"

Star took the Wand and the paper with the enchant written by Glossaryk. She knew the enchant by her own after studying over and over again to make sure she wouldn't mess up this time (he got the parasyte on him because she spelled it wrong to begin with), but safety is never enough, right?

Waving her wand slightly, she looked at the Mark and said the spell.

 _As the universe and destiny gave me the right to create this magic, by the power that originated you and it's granted by me, I shall free you from thee._

A glow formed from Star's Wand and went to the top, concentrating on the little Crown at the top. She touches it on the Tattoo and so the mark glows. Monster Arm makes a scared sound before being silence as the light pops out of Marco's arm. Star opens the jar and the light gets in, shining just a bit until it becomes some kind little purple ball that keeps moving around by it's own.

It opens little eyes, but no mouth to speak and Star giggles "Look how cute you're now!"

The little thing just blinked, but Star knew he was thankful for the compliment. She needed to hide Monster Arm (Oh Heavens, they should have decided a name for him when the monster suggested) somewhere safe and away from prying eyes (aka Marco). She got up and looked at Marco, still sleeping safe and sound without any knowledge of what just happened.

Her hand took a strand out of his eyes, he mumbled before turning to a new comfortable position. Star smiled, then get away ascending the stairs to the second level of her room to hide Marco's former special power.

It would all be worth. It was all for a good reason. He would understand, he would be safe. Marco would even forgive her after understanding why everything was so messed up and why she kept so many secrets. He wouldn't be hurt and - hopefully - Wouldn't hurt her.

She prayed things would be fine and that she was right on her assumptions.

* * *

 _So... I have a headcannon name for Mosnter Arm, but I think it would be funny if it shows up later on lol_

 _The next chapter will take a while, not only because I'm at the end of semester (which means exams, homework and lots of stress) but also because the next 4 chapters ate the climax ones, and I want to finish them and fix it all so it won't take too much time to post them (Believe me, it's for better)._

 _Any thoughts on the chapter? Come talk to me! I love theories :3_

 _I hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one._

 _*hugs*_

 _~~Lullaby_


	9. After Prom

_Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long! I took my vacations (FINALLY!) . I thought I would write more and be more productive... HOW COME IT LOOKED LIKE I WAS MORE BUSY?! MY LIFE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!_

 _Anyway, this is the first Part of the Climax. I hope you guys like it!_

 _*hugs*_

 _PS: Get tissues. Diaz feels are coming._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: After Prom**_

Looking at the sunset on the balcony of her room, she watched as everything turned to an orange color, warm and calming just what she needed. Star did anything she could to avoid getting ready. She wasn't nervous or worried about the fact that the so dreamed prom was _tonight_ and in a _very few_ hours. It was the fact it was her very last hours on Earth to enjoy her time with her friends…

And she didn't even get _close_ to telling Marco she was leaving.

The dress? No problem, she knew it would be perfect. Hair? Magic, she has a wand for that. Carriage? Mr Diaz would take them, one less problem. So what to worry about? The very one thing she shouldn't think about it this night because she was supposed to have already told him. But no, she didn't get the guts to tell her best friend this would be their very last moment, he wouldn't even remember any of it or _her_ at all.

And now? It was too late and she didn't want to mess up their night by telling him "Hey, I'll be Cinderella today, but after I leave, you'll never see me, remember me and there will be nothing for you try looking out for me."?

She couldn't. She just… _Couldn't._

So Star tried to calm down and don't cry over the fact this would be the _very last_ sunset on Earth she would ever see. She heard the door of her room open, but didn't turn around to see who it was; the princess knew it was Marco going to check out on her since it had been hours since she locked up on her room. Star wanted so much it was just to get ready for such dreamy moment, but the truth was that she got locked to get everything ready and to prepare the erasing spell.

The boy approached her, supporting his elbows on the balcony standing right beside her, "Is there anything wrong?"

There were a thousand of things, but she didn't say any of it "I… I'm just nervous I guess…" She laughed weakly, "I mean… You were supposed to go with your _girlfriend_ and not your _best friend_ and…"

"Forget it already!" Marco grunted annoyed, just then she turned to him "She was fine with it, I told you. She even said it would be _better_." He changed his position to support his back on the balcony, hiding his hands on the pockets of the red jacket she got for him two years ago for his birthday, "Don't worry about it, really. If you feel too annoyed by it we can stay home."

"I want to go." She replied smiling softly at him. "I just want to make sure it's fine."

"It is."

 _As far as you know._ How would he react if in this moment she goes with " _Well, I'm not so sure since in a few hours I'll vanish from Earth, like, literally_ "?

Looking at his eyes, she realized how his hair had grown to the point it was too heavy for his hair gel hold it up as he used to lately. He had just shaved, so his jaw was smooth and soft as ever; even so, his features were matured compared from the boy she met four years ago, but not yet completely gone. He was more to man day by day… She wondered how he would look when he was twenty one, there would be a trace from the boy or would he change so much she wouldn't recognize him ever again?

Her hand found his hair, passing through the brown strands as the wind flew her own hair and dress.

"You need a haircut." She said as her finger measured how much it would be cut.

She let go of his hair and Marco's hands took the place, doing the same movement to measure how much it grown, "I know, but I think it's fine for tonight." He smiled.

 _It would be fine anyway._ She thought. The moment was interrupted by a sound on her room and someone calling her.

" _B-fly?_ "

Her smile widened as she went into her room to greet her best friend on the mirror. "Ponyhead!" the princess bounced at the reflection of the horse bodiless princess.

" _Gurl, you need to relax. You look wreck._ " Ponyhead complained.

"Don't go harsh on her, Ponyhead" Marco said stepping beside the Mewni princess, "She was anxious for the prom. It's fine now."

" _Oh, Hey Earth Turd._ " Ponyhead said smiling, and then made a face " _Prom? What's that about? She's not…_ "

"Look at the time!" Star interrupted her best friend clapping her hands "I need to get ready! Out the room, Marco! Its girl's time!"

Star turned him around and begins to push him at her door, like she did weeks earlier. "What?" was all he could voice at the confusion for her sudden rush to get ready. Behind Star, Ponyhead continued to complain about the princess actions. " _Star, no-Stop! You need to…!_ "

"See you later, Marco!" Star said a bit too loud, so he didn't heard what Ponyhead said and, before the other princess said anything, Star closed her door and abandoned him clueless in the middle of the corridor.

"Marco?" He turned and saw his mother on the end of the corridor, his suit on her hand as she just got it ready for him to use. "What's going on?"

Marco looked back at the closed door, no sound outside as Star probably did some kind of enchant on it. "I have no idea."

His mother raised one eyebrow, but shrugged. Handing him the suit, she said his father would help him with anything, while she would help Star to get ready. For some magical reason, his mother easily opened the door and got in. Marco looked at the clothing he would be using for the night and shrugged, deciding it would be wiser to get ready.

.

.

.

Marco waited for his mother and Star downstairs. They were making such drama at it and he was getting annoyed by it. He saw Star dressed up like, a hundred times before, why it was different now?

"Mom did the same thing to you?" He asked his father that was waiting with the car keys on his hands.

The man scratched his chin like it would help him to remember. "I don't really recall… I was never good to keep up these things."

"That's true." A third voice said, they looked at the woman getting down the stairs. Marco was about to complain about the time they wasted, but his mother didn't give him the chance, as she stopped beside him at the final steps. "I won't have another opportunity like this, so chill out, my boy." His mother rolled her eyes at his pout. "Anyway, you'll love it."

His mother has a proud glow in her eyes when she looked up and called out to the girl still on the other floor. "Star, come down, sweetie."

The first thing he saw was the beige boots. He was surprised to notice it was the kind with high heels, Star usually didn't like those. _Maybe it has something that made them really comfy_ , he wonders right after noticing the nude pantyhose. There was strass that made up the charm of the shoes together with the laces.

She continued to descend slowly, as to keep up the drama and Marco felt agonized by how slow it was. Step by step, she was revealing herself making him amazed. The skirt of the dress was white, but the dress it's actually a pale pink, with a gap from where the white skirt shows; short puffed sleeves that cover only her shoulders, the cleavage molded her chest (but not in a vulgar way), a lace on the left side, only to add a charm. On her hands, she's using a pair of thin pale pink laced gloves frilled at the wrists, little strass here and there to combine with the boots.

Then finally he can see her face. She's looking down at the steps, so he can't see her eyes clearly. Her hair it's a braided bun, a pearl tiara with a little crown on the top, the pearl-star earrings right there as he expected (he noticed she didn't taken them off unless she was going to take a bath). The hearts on her cheeks are pink as always, but somehow it looks more adorable than ever.

When she's in the middle of the steps, she finally looks up and their eyes met immediately. He miss a breath, she took it away with that crystallized blue eyes of hers. Marco feels like discarding the prom to keep her and that image only to himself (and his parents). She looks enchanting more than he could imagine, and for that one second, he wants to be the only one she has eyes and attention for to the rest of their lives, the only one to look at those eyes and feel like the whole world it's right there in front of him.

It's only when his mother gestures and she breaks contact to look at the woman, he realizes his eyes were not even blinking; he does twice to make sure it's real and he's out the haze.

"Come on, dear" His mother says to her, offering a hand when she's at the final steps. "Let's take a picture!" The look on her face says she doesn't want to, but she gets closer to him anyway.

"You're beautiful…" He hears his voice saying before he can think about it.

Star smiles blushing at the compliment; she touches at the lace on her chest. "Aw… Thank you!" She punches his shoulder giggling "You look handsome!"

It wasn't a lie, Star got lost when she saw him on his dark blue tuxedo and red necktie (because it wouldn't be Marco if there wasn't anything red), and she felt like her heart stopped by a second. His hair was thrown back, so she could see his face better than ever and those eyes… God those eyes sucked her into them like the deepest of holes and she always would fall into and there wasn't a salvation; the fall felt so, so _sweet_.

"Ok…" His father spoke holding the camera, "Make a pose and smile!" Star looked at him and he returned the look, both blushing embarrassed that none of them knew a good position to take this picture; holding hands? Hugging? Just beside each other? Laughing? Goofing around? Pretend they have switched bodies again?

"Just be natural!" Mama Diaz said bouncing.

Marco was the first to react, reaching his arm out to pull her closer by her waist;  
Star went with it, passing her arm on his back resting her hand on his shoulder, the other one did the same in the front and she rested her head on them. When he was sure it wouldn't be a problem (he's too aware after that night kissing her neck), his other arm closed the gap between them, holding the girl close. On the count of three there was a flash.

One of his hands got away from her and he pointed to the direction of the camera in a victory signal, she laughed and did the same. Another flash. Then he made a pose like he was a model and she did too. They continued until his parents had enough pictures and the teenagers couldn't hold the laughter anymore.

"Shall we go?" his father asked.

"Oh, wait! I forgot!"

They all looked confused at the boy. Marco put his hands on the tuxedo pocket and took out a small box; he handed to Star and smiled. The princess arched an eyebrow suspicious and he shrugged, motioning her to open it. She took the top off the box and found a bracelet inside; the rose golden band had little hearts in some points, a golden star hang out on the center, balancing softly as she took out the box to look better at it.

She left out a breath, _it combined with her earrings_. Looking up to him, he smiled scratching his nape "You said nothing would go with your earrings… So I got something to match."

"You didn't have to…" Was all she could say.

"I know;" He smiled, and then took the bracelet from her hand to put on her wrist, "But I wanted to."

She saw his face twist, she looked at her hands and realized her gloves were in the way. Star took them out adding before he could protest "I think it will go better." She smiled at him.

Marco took her gloves and kept on his pocket (in case she got colder and wanted them – Even though she said it would have a use). Holding her hand gently, he put the bracelet around her wrist; fascinated on how it fit and glowed on her, he carefully locked on the other side and Star wanted to laugh at the irony that the lock was a _moon_.

And the moon was _his_ bracelet.

She didn't have courage to look up to him, too occupied by looking on his hands holding hers. His hands were larger, but somehow hers fit there just fine. She knew how their fingers together fit like a puzzle with the perfect pieces, and how his warmth passed to her at minimum contact…

Like right now.

His breath was slow and careful, just like hers. He could feel it again. From that simple gest, her warmth around him, his need to be closer, to hold her and not let go, and how a simple "put the bracelet on" seemed something so much more intimate and meaningful… He didn't even know what it was supposed to mean.

They both jumped on the flash. His mother showing the picture to his father; "Look at it! This is so cute!" She giggled, making both teenagers blush and pull a step away from each other.

Marco made a noise and she looked at him, still blushing, with his wrist up showing his own bracelet under the tuxedo sleeve. "Now we match!" He smiled.

She returned the smile, bumping her wrist with his making the bracelets clink. "Best friends bracelets!"

Mama Diaz called Star and she went up to her to see the pictures the woman took. Marco made a face, but shook it off. He shouldn't be annoyed by "friendship bracelet", because that's what it was… _Right?_

He shook it off, going to check up if he had everything he needed. He realized he forgot his wallet upstairs and went to get it.

"The pictures look nice, don't they?" Mama Diaz commented looking at the picture of Star taking off her gloves (When they got that picture?).

"Mama Diaz, about that…" Star sighed, "The pictures won't remain… The spell will change them so my presence on them won't interfere on your lives…"

"We know," Papa Diaz said putting one hand at the princess shoulder "But we wanted them anyway. Even if we don't remember you, we at least enjoyed this moment as we should."

"But…"

"There's nothing wrong." Mama Diaz completed placing her hand on the other shoulder of the princess. "We may not remember, but somewhere deep within us, we'll know. That's all that matter."

Star tried to hold the tears and hugged the two adults close "I love you two."

"So do we, my dear." Mama Diaz replied caressing her back.

"You two welcomed me to your home, neither of you knew me and you never made me feel like I didn't belong here…" She sniffed, "You two are like my parents on Earth and I love you two for everything. For trusting me, taking care of me and…"

"Shh…" Papa Diaz patted her head trying not to mess her hair. "It's ok, Star. We understand."

They pulled apart; Star took deep breaths to calm down. She looked at the wall of pictures, there were a few of her there with Marco; how much would they change? It would only exclude her or something on it would change? Star tried not to think. She looked at the wand on her hand, gave a sigh and put it on the purse.

"How it will happen?" Papa Diaz asked.

She pointed to a small symbol on the doorstep. "When I step out the house, it will begin. It won't take long to charge, but it will be active when I step back here or it's been 12 hours."

"What's going to happen to us?" Mama Diaz asked looking at the symbol.

"Nothing" Star replied "When it's happening you won't be able to notice; and when it's done, you all will fall asleep for a moment. When you wake up anything that may be associated with magic will be like a dream."

"I see…" Rafael said.

Suddenly Marco screamed from upstairs, "Does anyone know where my wallet is?!"

Angie took the wallet from her pocket and winked at Star "It's with me!" Star held her laugh, so the woman planned this from the beginning?

Marco went down and took the wallet; his father went to the car and ignited. The woman gave a light kiss on her son's cheek and caressed it "Have a nice party!" He smiled and went to the door.

The princess hugged the woman once again, it would be the last time she would hug her mother from Earth. "Take care of our boys…" Star said.

"I will." The woman pulled apart just enough to give the girl a kiss on the nose, caressing both her cheeks on the heart marks "Be safe, Star."

Star swallowed hard, avoiding tears on her eyes "I love you. Goodbye, Mama Diaz."

They pulled apart, she saw how the eyes of the woman shined with the unshed tears. "I love you too, _Estrella_. Goodbye."

As the woman turned her around, Star didn't looked back; she wouldn't be able to leave if she did. So she walked until she was on the doorstep, looked at the mark, at Marco and his father waiting for her; took a breath and closed her eyes, stepping out the house.

Blue eyes opened again and looked at the mark that now was glowing just a bit. She looked at the woman again, smiled and closed the door at once. Then she went to the car.

In a few hours, it would be all over.

.

.

.

She didn't thought saying goodbye to the big man would be so hard, but when she hugged him; she felt tears trying to escape. She swallowed, took a breath and tried really hard to not cry.

"You know…" He said, "I asked her to delivery you two. If I were to be at home and didn't have a rush, I wouldn't be able to let you go." The man confessed, Star didn't have voice to reply and he went on, "We always wondered how it would be to have a daughter or a brother to Marco, that's why we always welcomed the foreign students at home, it was fun… We never realized how much we would miss you and that you wouldn't be there forever until your parents told us…"

He sniffed and held her tighter. "You're part of our family, Star. I couldn't be more proud of being your father, even if isn't for real… I don't care, you're part of us, even if you don't belong anywhere on the universe; you'll always be welcomed home… You'll always belong with us, even when we don't remember."

Star let few tears go, drying them on the man shirt (and glad that Mrs. Diaz decided she didn't need makeup). She clutched his shirt on the fingers. "I love you, Papa Diaz" Was all she could say after.

"I know." He replied, pulling her apart and giving a kiss on the top of her head. "You'll be a great Queen. Rule them all!" He tried to sound excited, even if his tears said he wasn't at all.

Star got away and dried the tears, trying to sound calm. "I'll do my best..."

The man gave a pat on her head. "You already do, _Estrella_. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Papa Diaz" Star replied with a smile and turned around, but she got the impression that her voice didn't get out, it merged with the lump on the throat and what went out was more like a grumble. It didn't matter, he knew her intentions.

She looked to the prom entrance and tensed up. Now she had to say goodbye to her friends… And Marco. The boy didn't even know yet she would be leaving in hours to go. How she was supposed to tell him?

But now she was getting emotional and freaking out. To the point Marco was massaging her arms to calm and warm up (he probably thought she was cold). When she went inside, their group hugged them. They're paired up since Hope had transferred two years ago because her father got another job. Alfonso went with Jackie and Ferguson with Janna; Star wondered if they did that so they could spend the last hours of Star as a group of friends instead of going there with dates.

"There you are!" Janna said pushing Marco away and snuggling her arm around Star. "You lost it, Safe kid."

"I am a…!"

"Sure you are." The girl interrupted him rolling her eyes and pushed Star to the dance floor. "Now Starry is mine!" And she faked a evil laugh going to dance.

Star laughed as she went up with Janna. It was playing one of the songs that trying to resist to dance was a lost fight. So for now, she let the matter go; and decided to spend those few moments with her friends, and that led her to be dancing on her on full power of her silliness around her friends.

.

.

.

Marco looked at the princess with drinks on his hands. She was tense again, something bothering her more than ever, she took one glass anyway.

Everyone had a moment to dance with her and laugh, Janna even tried to convince Star giving her a kiss; the princess declined, but hugged the girl after. Actually, everyone was hugging her more than usual, it was kind of annoying and… **weird**. They're over her like she was the last piece of cake in the world.

Now the group had parted for different reasons. Ferguson and Alfonso were talking to girls, Janna had disappeared with a boy (probably to make out with him because… Well, she wanted to), and Jackie went to the toilet. So now Marco looked at his friend trying to figure out what was wrong. Her hair had become a mess, but hey, most of the people were like that after dancing for so long.

A slow song had begun to play, so he decided to use on his favor. Getting up, he stood in front of her and bowed slightly to her "Can I have this dance?"

A faint laugh escaped as she took the hand offered to her. "It would be my pleasure."

The moment he had her hand on his, the warmth came back. It was getting hard to not let be affected by the pheromones or whatever, they're tempting and knew how to play his buttons; the fact she was prettier than he ever thought she would be didn't help him on anyway.

He managed to pretend it wasn't anything. As they got on the side of the dance floor, close to the couples dancing, caring and kissing (awkward as ever). He put his hand below Star's shoulder, the other one holding her by his side. They stepped aside, surprising them both as neither of them went to the wrong side. The movements were slower than the waltz on her room, but the song was also slower, so nothing could be done. He turned her around and smiled when her dress went with the move; pushing her to the side after and pulled her back to him.

They went with it, exchanging some laughs and hushed compliments of the kind "You did it right!" and "I got a good teacher".

The dance was fun, she was having a good time with Marco, he was being sweet as always and she was happy to see he learned well to waltz again. but as the song was ending she suddenly realized the reality. That was her last dance ever with Marco, her last night, her last moments, before she completely disappeared from the life of her best friend.

She bumped on the couple behind her and apologized. Star would vanish, she would be gone like wind and no one would miss her… Would them suffer? They didn't have reason or a way for it, you can't miss what you don't remember. It would be just like that? Just simple and clean as she just… go?

"Stop…" She mumbled so low Marco wasn't able to listen

She tripped and Marco got her, but didn't said anything. Was that it? They would move on and she would be the only one hurt and missing them? There would be nothing left? She would be left behind as if it didn't matter at all? No, she couldn't think like that, it was for the better, for them, for Mewni, for no one to suffer…

On the third time she tripled, Marco tried to know what was wrong. Before he could hold her hand, she had covered her face with both of them. He took a breath, realizing she was about to cry and he had no idea why.

"Stop…" She mumbled trying to say something more, but unable to.

He held her shoulder, just then realizing it was stiff "Wanna go outside for fresh air?" She just nodded as response. Marco took the liberty to take one of her hands to pull her outside with him to the backyard.

The night air was cold on her, somehow soothing her nerves. She took a few breaths holding up all the tears she wanted to shed as she suddenly realized that this would be her last ball; that this was the last dance, the last memories, the last time on school, the last hours with her friends, the last memories and it would all be gone. There wouldn't be a trace of her there, neither material or in their memories; no one would ever remember her, including the one holding her hand.

Marco appeared with a cup of water, she didn't even realize he was away while trying not to get desperate. She took the cup sipping it. He took her gloves and put on her hands "You're shaking and your hands are cold."

"That has nothing to with cold."

"Yeah, I realized that…" He said without looking at her and not questioning further, taking her bracelet out to put it on again over the glove, "but it might help."

They stood in the silent until she was calm again. The soft sound of the ball echoing in the air, she wondered if their friends would look for them, or understood they needed a moment alone. Once she was fine again, he was able to feel it– She knows that, Star wondered if the way they always knew the other mood had anything to do with the Blood Moon.

"So…" Marco said, standing in front of her. She stood too, but didn't get closer. "What happened?"

"I… I realized how much I'll miss all of this."

Marco raised an eyebrow "Why this is so important?"

She took a breath, "Because this is the place where I met you and everyone, and… We came to known each other, become best friends, then met Oskar and you found your girlfriend, and you helped me so many times and there is so much, and…" she bit her lip.

"Why are you thinking that all of sudden?"

She put the cup down, looked at the ground and just then lifted her eyes to his. She knew of she spoke looking at his eyes, things would get clearer, since they had this weird connection since always.

"It's just…" A sigh escaped her when she got up "Marco, you're my best friend and partner into everything goes on in my life, but things won't be that way forever."

"Again that?" Marco commented annoyed "We'll still be friends no matter what. Nothing is going to change except for a bit of distance."

Star undone the strands on her hair; letting it go down freely as she did so. She needed to do something with her hands, so she began to brush her hair with her fingers. "It's more complicated than that."

Marco shrugged. "You're a magical princess from another dimension, what's more complicated than that?" He laughed.

She let the silence of the night fill the air for a while, thinking if this was really the best moment to talk to him… But then she remembered: There was no more time.

When they got back home, as soon as she stepped inside, they would begin to forget her. Everything would be gone, Mrs. Skullnick was already on the Monsters Kingdom since the day before and now no one remembered her, and it would be the same with Star…

She wouldn't lose anything that wasn't already to be lost if she did this.

"I love you, Marco."

And that was the point of no return.

* * *

 _Don't worry and don't kill me. As I said I would upload anything until the climax was done writing :)_

 _I hope to upload the next part in two days or a bit more (calm down it won't take a month)_

 _This was uploaded today because it's SVTFOE birthday and I couldn't do anything else to celebrate, so here it is! Happy birthday, Star 3_

 _Btw, AC is doing a iamge for this chapter, I might upload here later._

 _*hugs* see you in the next!_


	10. After Confession

_Hello! Before anything, Happy new year (YES I KNOW I AM LATE)_

 _I had a few troubles with these chapters, so I decided to post-pone until they were completely ready so now you have EABOMB RIGHT BEFORE STARBOMB._

 _Are you ready?_

 _A huge tahnks to infered5, car213, Doctor013, Livwrangler13, askthedeadman, sockmonky, MANIFISTO (your review was lovely, I like them anyways :3), MikeWeezy1323, TheChosenOne260, Consumer of Fantasy, DrawingHufflepuff, Star Bootyfly, kingdom219, Gamerbox, Layergaming, ThunderReb, FalconPuncher, , flashfire322, Candyluver2121, Red Snowflower, Consumer of Fantasy, HK5739, Spectre289, Rob Stewart and ThatSadPanda for the favs and follows, I hope you guys enjoy as we go :3_

 _Now grab the tissues, popcorn, hold your feels and... I don't know who said it anymore, but to your dear reader that thought we were about to finish..._

 _You know nothing, Jon Snow._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: After Confession**_

It felt like he was the last man on Earth. No scratch that, he felt the only man in the universe. Really, Marco felt that way in every part of his own being, like the whole universe disappeared and there was just him… and her.

Always her.

He didn't have a first though, but that was because the information itself was so heavy, deep and important that there was no space in his mind to get any thoughts about it, only to keep thinking at the words and his best friend in front of him.

" _I love you, Marco."_

Those words were so simple, but also too much complicated for his mind get to any conclusion from it on the first moment; he just stood there, looking at Star with a blank face and trying to make his brain go back to work so he could dissolve it all.

And Star? She was freaking out.

She broke him, didn't she? Normally in a situation like this he would laugh and say something like "I love you too, bestie", but now? He was there like he was one of his games and it was loading the saved data. _And for heavens it was taking so long and it was so slow!_ Her heart was racing like a train with no breaks and his silence _definitely_ didn't help at all. She confessed without thinking!

This was not how she thought it would happen after Ponyhead and Angie convinced her to tell the truth.

" _Star you must tell him!" Ponyhead exclaimed from the mirror._

 _The princess went back there frowning. "No, I don't have to." She took off her dress to put the other one since she already took a bath._

" _Then what?" Her friend snapped. "You'll live the rest of your life wondering how he is, if he felt the same, what would have been his answer?"_

" _Things changed, Ponyhead." Star said, pulling the dress up on her shoulders. "I won't get Marco along this war menace we have on Mewni."_

" _He should be the one to decide either to get into it or not."_

" _I'm the princess, it's up to me."_

" _He loves you, Star!"_

" _He has a_ _ **girlfriend**_ _. Marco doesn't love me in that way."_

" _If I know my son, I say he may do."_

 _Star looked behind her and blushed when she saw Mrs. Diaz closing the door and walking in her direction. "Mama Diaz!"_

" _I know, Star." The woman said with a reassuring smile, turning her around to help her to close the dress "I have always known. I also know you and Marco had that fight because one of you did something regarding this matter."_

 _Star pouted and looked away "How everyone knows my secrets?"_

 _The woman smiled, adjusting the princess dress. "You two are too transparent and oblivious, dear."_

" _You should get prepared in these situations when you get the Crown." Ponyhead observed. "Hello, Mrs. Diaz, by the way."_

" _Oh, my apologies!" Mrs. Diaz said bowing slightly to the princess in the reflection "It's my pleasure to see you, Flying Princess Ponyhead."_

 _The other rolled her eyes "No need for formalities."_

 _Mrs. Diaz turned to Star again, looking up and down her dress to see if there were any imperfections; after that, she took a chair and gestured to the princess sit down, grabbed a brush to make up her hair._

 _Star tried to object "You don't have to…"_

" _I want to." Mama Diaz replied brushing the blond strands. "This may be the last time I'll ever do the hair of a girl." Star nodded, agreeing to the wish of the woman. "I agree with your friend, you should tell Marco."_

 _She sighed. "And say what? That I love him like I never did before, that I'll leave to never come back and he won't even know or the part that there may be a war in Mewni soon?"_

" _Everything" The woman replied. "Marco deserves to know it all just as the rest of us."_

" _See?!" Ponyhead exclaimed from the mirror. "Star this may be the one and last time you have with him… Wouldn't be better to have everything clear?"_

" _I want to tell him I'm leaving… But I can't say anything else." Star sighed while her eyes went to the floor without moving her head._

" _Star…" Mama Diaz stopped brushing her hair to hold her shoulders while looking at her eyes in the mirror's reflection "I raised no fool. Marco loves you, but only he can say if he'll let himself go or choose to be safe."_

" _But…"_

" _B-fly" Ponyhead called her. "You never know what may come of it. Marco may be the answer to the treat, and you may be happy either he agrees or not, if he loves you or not. You'll have_ _ **answers**_ _instead of_ _ **wonders**_ _."_

 _Star looked to both women, then at the ground as Mrs. Diaz went back into brushing her hair. She didn't want to admit, but they were right. She could at least try… Even if she was about to mess up, Marco would forget her anyway; he would forget the confession and go on with his life just as she would do. It couldn't hurt and it couldn't be so bad._

 _Both women smiled when Star gave a sigh and said her final decision "Ok. I'll do it."_

This was definitely _not_ part of the plan! This was _not_ how she thought it would go! She was sure if anyone got into her mind, her little Star mind-insiders would be running everywhere, all the alarms buzzing, papers flying, screams, fire on the walls and someone screaming at the speakers " _May day! May day! She just confessed! I repeat! She just confessed! This is not a drill! Repeat: This is not a drill! Everyone get desperate and be ready to bury yourselves in shame and embarrassment!_ "

Even if in the outside, all Star did was smile like a nervous fool that didn't know any other face to make to pretend she wasn't internally screaming.

She just told Marco she was _in love_ with him! There was no way she could make out of that! Star had told him she loved him before, but all those times it was like a brother or best friend. _Love_ in the way she said meant a whole new thing that she surely wasn't ready to face the consequences of this! If she was ready, her mind wouldn't have all these thoughts per minute and she would know what to do by the fact he gone silent…

The silent like " _stopped working, please reinstall the software._ "

"Ha ha…" She tried to laugh it off, but she got no response from him. "I mean… I… We… You…" How you make the words out to make a phrase and speak again? "I… Really do."

Oh well, what it's done it's done. So just jump on it, right?

"I don't know when or why, all I know is that I have these feelings for you and I like them. I like to feel secure and safe, but also into adventures and fun things. And I know I shouldn't have because we're besties and that's all, I know but I can't help it! You're my best friend, but also so much more…"

She was rambling. Like a lot, but she couldn't stop anymore, her pacing from one side to another begun and, _could a crazy guy summon a meteor to fall on her and save from this embarrassing moment?!_

Wait, that was Marco's game story, nevermind.

Star didn't even know what was getting out of her mouth; she just kept it on and on, getting everything out her system. All the times she felt like getting him to herself, to kiss him, to be the one in his heart.

"I didn't plan this!" She said at some point. "This is not supposed to be how I told you this or the other thing, but it slipped ok? I just needed to tell you, but it doesn't mean you have to be with me or anything, even because…"

"Star?"

She looked up at him; he finally found his voice, his mind working again. He didn't listen anything she said after her confession, but he could tell she was freaking out. Her hair looked like it never have been up minutes ago on how much she was moving it and pulling on her fingers, even so she looked beautiful.

He wished things were simple as that. Her statement was something serious and a lot more complicated on both of them.

"Yes?" She hesitantly replied.

"I am with Jackie." His voice wavered and died out while to reassuring her that fact.

His stomach hurt like a troll had punched it when he saw her shoulders flopping down and her eyes averted from his, her hands holding the Wand tightly close to her chest.

"I know that…" She nodded. "I know, but…"

"But what?" Marco asked annoyed.

"I needed to tell you this because I wouldn't have another chance and I wouldn't be able to move on without knowing your answer."

"My answer?" He inquired raising his eyebrows annoyed, "What kind of answer you were expecting?!"

"I don't know, ok? I just needed one!"

"What do you expect me to answer?!" Marco replied raising his voice "Do you expect me to break up her or something like that? This isn't a movie, Star!"

She raised her voice just the same amount as him. "No! I didn't expect anything from you! I didn't even plan on saying all this!"

"Is this why you were acting weird these weeks?"

Star put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Kinda. It's _way_ more than this…"

Marco let an annoyed laugh escape his lips "So you have been lying this whole time; Kingdom issues, princess duties and pheromones? Why all that?"

"There were no lies!" Star snapped "Mewni has a situation there and I am the only one able to solve it; I have duties to accomplish and then I found out these feelings for you and it didn't helped anything!"

Marco pointed to himself as he raised his voice again "So now it's my fault? I tried to talk about it with you! You were the one always running away from this, you never told me anything and now you expect me to be fine with it?"

"I was the one always running away?!" Star said in disbelief "Ok, so let's talk about when you avoided talking about the times you wanted to kiss me."

He frowned at her "We talked about this already."

"You talked!" She replied "I tried to listen and understand, but I can't!"

Why was all of this happening? This isn't how she figured out to be, she never fought it would happen like this. At the best scenario, she thought he would talk to Jackie and maybe (just _maybe_ ) he would be with her. Jackie even said she would be ok as long they talked it out with her, that the final choice was Marco.

And it was true. It was on Marco's hands if he would keep it up with Jackie or try it out with her… It always has been.

On the worst scenario, they would be awkward and Marco would still be with Jackie, a bit more distant, but still friends. After a time it would be fine again, she would be able to move on and so would he; they would still being best friend for life…

But now everything was a mess. Things were falling into an abyss, a black hole that led to a void that there was no taking back. They were hurting each other with everything they were saying; she knew that, she felt it hurting on her skin and heart.

But even so they couldn't stop it.

"You were the one that begun this mess when you asked me to kiss you!" Marco exclaimed.

"I ever said anything like that!"

"You did!" Marco exclaimed pointing at her. "On the first time _it_ happened, you said it was pheromones and now you say it's my fault!"

"Because I thought ' _this is a pheromone thing, it's fine_ ', but then you said _you wanted_ to kiss me. The pheromones wouldn't allow you to think about it, only to _react_! It changed everything because if you thought that it's because you feel it too, even if just a little!"

She was nearly screaming at him. Something inside her was twisting, pushing into this situation, but also telling her to stop. They were wrecking each other right now; she could feel they would break into something and destroy it completely. It could be their friendship, their love.

 _It could be her._

"Why do I _have_ to feel anything?!" Marco screamed back at her "Because of a prophecy? A Moon thing? I'm not obligated! You're from another dimension why do you think this would even be possible?!"

Her chest felt heavy suddenly, stinging coldly through her whole body. There was no shield for her and no way to get prepared to what is was coming. It was scary and she knew it would hurt.

And again, there was nothing she could do about it.

"You're a freaking magical princess while I'm just a Earth boy!" Marco kept screaming. "There's no way this is going to work, this can't even _happen_! You should go back to your castle and magical kingdom while I stay here as it should be. I have to stay where I belong and you should go back to where you always had belonged!" He shouted back.

Marco was looking at the ground between them, so he didn't see her taking steps back to get a safe distance from him; like she could escape the pain his words were causing her. Star couldn't feel or see it too; the hearts on her cheeks losing their colors, fading until they were a light shade of gray. Like a ghost of what it once was.

"Maybe it's better to everyone, maybe you shouldn't have come to Earth at all!"

There is was. The something the train would hit and destroy to pieces; with no way to return to what it once was. And she was right…

She was the one breaking.

A hand cupped her lips, trying to keep the sobs to herself together with a scream of the suddenly unbearable pain she felt smashing her being. She was hurt enough, this humiliation wasn't needed, those words weren't needed. It hurt all at once, the pain, the agony, the humiliation, the fight, the words, the rejection…

And suddenly, as fast, hurtful and painful as it had been, it was gone.

Star couldn't feel anything more. No agony, no pain, no hurts, no sounds, no cold, no air, nothing. Everything had been taken away as if the pain was so great that she stopped feeling it in order to survive that. She couldn't hear anything, but an empty hum through her ears and the slow beats of her own heart. Everything was a blur of black and white for a moment, silence and void was all she could feel for that moment.

She blinked a few times and everything was normal again; well, almost. The princess could hear her surroundings again, the colors had come back and so did her perfect vision; but she still couldn't feel anything. Star looked at the Wand on her hands, white knuckles from the force she held the Wand like it would be the one thing to save her.

Then she realized it _was_ her escape boat, she could use to go away from there.

Falling for him was sweet and wonderful, but now she had hit the ground and it broke her. It hurt _so much_ … It was enough. Star wanted to wake up, she wanted to take it back, she wanted to get away from him…

Star wanted to go home.

"Marco…" She called without looking at him.

Whatever it happened while she had that little breakdown, it calmed Marco. Star noticed she could hear again; he was rambling something, but the princess couldn't comprehend. Once she had said his name, he got silent to hear what she was about to say.

"I'm leaving."

He sighed, clearly exhausted from the heated fight they just had. Marco scratched his neck and looked at the sky. "Ok. Maybe it's better for us to chill out and talk later"

"No."

She gave her back to him, extending the Wand ahead of her, the wind waved through the blond strands and dress-skirt gracefully; the portal ahead of her glowed and obligated him to close his eyes briefly because of the light.

Star took a last glance at him, head up, a tear escaping without her noticing. His eyes widened and the look he gave her it was like he was in pain by her miserable state, eyes pitiful for her. She didn't needed that look either. She was tired from all the drama, angst, tears and pain from those weeks.

Suddenly her cheeks went numb, but she couldn't care less.

"Goodbye, Marco."

Thus, without any further ado, she got into the portal and went home.

* * *

 _Calm Down, the next chapter will be arriving in one hour or so lol_

 _Trust me, I'm sorry I have to hurt these kids too, but they need to grow by their mistakes... see you soon!_


	11. After Shattering

_I keep my word... sometimes..._

 _Enjoy :D_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 11: After Shattering_**

"Dammit, that came out wrong!" Marco exclaimed while face-palming.

How did things get this complicated?! He didn't mean to say any of that, but the wrong words were slipping out of his mouth in the wrong way in the wrong situation. Everything was so wrong; _he_ was wrong! Marco felt like it didn't matter what he says he would only mess up even more.

Marco was shocked to hear those words from Star, in a good sense of the feeling. It was indescribable what he felt… It was wonderful to hear the princess confess to him; once he really understood that she was serious about her feelings… He felt like fireworks were exploding on his heart and "We are the champions" was playing on full volume on his mind while he could – _finally_ – kiss Star out of her senses.

Then he felt his feet on the ground. He was with Jackie; the girl he had spent most part of his life dreaming to be with. Now that he lived it, he realized that it was much different – it wasn't bad, just different from what he thought it would be. Marco needed to know how to deal with her first before taking his chance with Star.

But from the moment he opened his mouth to speak, he somehow knew things would go really bad.

He overreacted. He didn't even know what had driven him into it, but somehow he was attacking Star with everything that happened, she was attacking too on her defense, he was hurting her and she was hurting him… Just, _why?_

He didn't know. Marco was lost on everything that happened the past weeks and let himself to be carried away into whatever that fight would be called. Every part of his body told him to stop, but his mind went on. He could feel how things were about to break; he could feel their bond shattering. He didn't know what it was, but he felt it coming; Marco felt the hurt, pain and tears, agony and fear…

Marco was scared on how things would turn out to both of them if he said 'Yes'; Marco was scared on how it would go if he said 'No'. And somehow, while trapped in between, he did worse.

He said _never_.

When the words slipped from his mouth, he immediately regretted. It wasn't meant to look like they did, at all! On the next second he felt something heavy on his chest, it troubled his breathing and his heart beats, he felt her hurt and sadness, then he felt the weight of his guilty. It wasn't fair any of that was fair to Star!

Even if was hard breathing with that thing on his chest, Marco decided that he couldn't be silent. He had to try fix the things, or at least try to. Because he felt like whatever he and Star had – Friendship, relationship, lust, love or whatever – Was slipping through his fingers like water, and if he let it happen, it would be lost like the last droplet of water in the desert.

He wouldn't survive.

"I mean…" He tried to speak, clutching his chest while Star still with eyes on the floor "Is that even allowed? You're a princess and I'm just a guy… I have nothing to offer you or Mewni; and we are from different dimension, would anyone allow that? How it would work? We would have to give up living in one of them or there would be no problem in traveling to both all the time? And…"

Marco knew he was rambling again, but he couldn't help it, he had to say something! He _had_ to fix the situation!

He frowned when suddenly there was nothing to feel. There was no weight, pain and he could breathe… Why something was still stinging then? Why it felt like something was _wrong_? Why he felt empty?

"Star…" Marco called, afraid that if he took a step she would run away yet again since this all begin "Please, look at me… Talk to me, _please_ …" He pleaded, but she kept looking at the ground; then she looked at the Wand "Let's just talk ok? I'm sorry I screamed at you… It's just too much and complicated, I also need to talk with Jackie before trying anything with you, I don't want to hurt her feelings; I'm just confused…" He went on rambling again, scared that she would run away and things only get worse, but at this point he could not blame her for leaving him in the open.

"Marco…" She finally said, Marco stopped talking and let a small and hopeful smile escape his lips. It was shortly lived as all she said was "I'm leaving."

He sighed. The bad omen he felt was ringing louder, something within him screamed that things would only get worse if he let it go; that he would regret even more if he run away before telling her…

 _Telling her what?_

He made enough damage into their friendship, on her and on him, and had no idea on how deep it was or whatever. Marco just couldn't risk anything else. He had to be absolutely sure before saying her anything, even if all he wanted right now was to hold her close and repeat those words into her lips until she believes him and understand that it was a misunderstanding.

But he can't. Because he feels, he _knows_ that she'll break on the slightest touch from him, that's she's too fragile and hurt… That _he_ was the one who did this to her. And he has no right to say otherwise or to ask anything from her in that moment.

Scratching his neck, his eyes went to the starry sky "Ok. Maybe it's better for us to chill out and talk later" He didn't want to, but Star made clear she wanted to be alone for a while, and this time, he shouldn't follow at any circumstances.

"No."

Her answer was so short and quick that it felt like a bullet on him. His mind screamed " _Danger! Danger! May day! May day!_ ", but he hadn't time to complain.

Star turned around, raising her arm and calling an enchantment. Marco closed his eyes at the brightness of the magic; when he looked again, there was a portal in front of the princess; her golden hair and dress was waving gracefully on the wind and she waited for something. Should he say something? He was waiting her to say something, he said too much so he wanted to keep it shout for now before he blew their relationship once for all. Star turned around just to look at him one last time.

Marco could swear his own heart broke when he saw her face.

Her eyes were the the pure mix of hurt and sadness, shining as a tear slides down her cheek. Her cheek marks of hearts are gray, a lifeless gray that would have scared him a lot more if wasn't another concerning fact on them…

Star hearts marks were cracked.

The panic rising on him mixed up with dread. They both stood there for a moment, he doesn't know what to do; he hurt her to the point her marks were also affected, that _never_ happened before. The fright on his veins makes him feel cold and his frozen bones made him unable to move. Star was expecting something from him and he couldn't move, Marco knew that any movement, a word and it would break.

And this time wasn't a heart or friendship, it was _them_.

A tear slide on her cheek, he could feel as it was his own heart there at the moment the tear was passing on the cracked heart and it _broke_. The marks were _shattered_. They were broken. The silence was the end for both of them and whatever they had.

"Goodbye, Marco."

Those were the last words from Star, before she got into the portal and disappeared with it.

As soon as her presence vanished, the ground had disappeared, suddenly air wasn't all he needed to breathe, the world was spinning around him, he felt colder than never and all his mind could think of was "She's gone".

And Marco knew that wasn't any good.

But what he could do? He already did harm enough and she had the right to get away from him, this was the one time she has reason to run and he couldn't ask for otherwise; the one time she was the right in running away from this; she was hurt...

He _hurt_ her.

He messed up really bad.

With a sigh, Marco decided to go back into the Ballroom. He didn't remember getting his tuxedo, but he felt on him anyway. His legs moved to went to the table where his friends were, his mind was still lost into everything. Marco let his body fall heavily on a chair, elbows on the table and hands on his face. Could regret kill someone? Because if it could, then he was in serious danger.

"Marco? Are you alright?"

He looked up to meet Jackie's eyes. If he wasn't so desolated, he would feel shame to think she was there and moments ago all he wanted was to be with Star. This could count as cheating? He thought so, after all, he was still her boyfriend and as such, he should be loyal on mind body and… _Soul_.

But why that seemed so extreme when he thought about it with Jackie?

"I messed up" He said and went to his previous position again "I messed up really bad."

The others appeared too, Jackie took a seat beside him, Janna did too, Ferguson and Alfonso stood close by.

"What happened?" Alfonso asked.

"Star confessed to me" he replied, there was no use in hiding from them and he was too tired to think on an excuse "I overreacted."

A few gasps and a deception "Oh…" were heard, but he didn't look up to see their reaction. They seemed uncertain about how to speak about it or to leave it alone, it was an uncomfortable atmosphere; he couldn't care less…

Janna was the one that decided to go on "Why you overreacted?"

"I don't know!" Marco exclaimed in frustrated "I'm trying to understand why I reacted to her like that! I mean, I know I was scared and shocked, but I didn't have to say anything I said!"

By her voice, Jackie frowned in worry "What did you say?"

Marco couldn't kept quiet anymore, he got up and begin to pace beside their table "I said I was with Jackie, I said I didn't know what to think of it, that it was impossible and that _Mewni_ was her home- Oh God, why did I said that?!" He passed his fingers on his hair to try calm down. "I didn't mean like that! It just came out completely wrong!"

Marco rambling ended up in him telling them everything it happened on details. Sometimes Janna would groan on his stupid attitude, Ferguson and Alfonso were tense little by little (He felt like they were about to smack his head on a rock – and sincerely, he deserved it). He was so into telling everything he forgot Jackie's presence there, and she stood there, listening quietly every word from him.

"I just don't know what to do! She has all the right to stay away and I don't want that; I need to solve this, but… I'm just lost and I'm afraid I just make it worse."

Janna snickered at him "To begin with, you could answer her. Like, the _real_ answer"

"Yeah, man" Alfonso agreed "You two have been hanging on each other for the longest time, what's wrong?"

"I just…" Marco grunted pulling strands of his own hair "I'm confused, I'm scared, I'm compromised! I have a girlfriend! I can't just jump into a relationship with Star without making things clear to her!"

"Wait… So the reason why you didn't accept Star was me?"

Marco looked at Jackie surprised. He completely forgot she was there. Oh Lord, she heard everything, his rambling, the confession, the fight and now she was with her hand in the air in a signal that she wanted to speak for the first time in… How much time it has been? 20 minutes? It felt like it so, but it was probably less.

He felt the tension over both of them, but that wasn't anything close to what he felt minutes ago into the fight with Star. With the princess there was pain, guilty, love and so much frustration; and now with Jackie… There was guilty for sure, a bit of regret, sadness and a little grief… But no pain. He wasn't hurt by it, at least not like it was with Star.

The girl in the green dress stood and put her hands over her hips, with a sigh she extended a hand to him. "Give me the necklace"

Marco sighed "Jackie, listen…"

"No. You listen!" She replied with a higher voice. "I _knew_ this was going to happen; I knew you and Star could become a thing the only reason why I didn't break up with you, Marco, was because I thought that when this moment came, we could all figure it out together and it would be just _fine_ " She looked at the other on the table in distress "We _all_ had realized you two had feelings for each other, but we also knew it was up to you two to solve this, that's why we never got into your fights or anything!"

Marco looked at the table at saw the others exchanging looks and giving faint nods. "I said I wanted honesty from you Marco; and I know you didn't mean to hurt any of us, but that's what got you and Star to fight so many times…" She sighed, "I knew someday we would break up and I knew you would go after her, I was never hurt by it because I _understand_. I had understood that whatever you and Star are into it's way more deep, complicated and stronger than what we have since our first month together…"

Marco tried to defend "It's not like that…"

"Hush." Jackie said pointing one finger on his face "I didn't finished." She massaged her temples. "Marco… What was the first thing you did when we were officially together?"

"I hugged you" He replied.

"No. You went to Star" Jackie corrected "I gave you the necklace and you went to her to show up, you two celebrated and hugged each other; then you come back to hug me."

Marco looked at the ground embarrassed. He never noticed he did that; now she mentioned, he realized it was the natural thing he did even if it was wrong. "Oh my God, I'm sorry" He said.

"Don't be." Jackie replied. The skate girl took his hands on hers and continued what she had to say "That was the moment I noticed that you two had something special and it would come up on someday. I tried to win your heart, but I couldn't win what always meant to be to someone's else. I had my time understanding, fighting and accepting that this would be over. I decided to enjoy until it lasted… Like we said on our first date like a couple, remember?"

Marco nodded closing his eyes on shame by what he did then and what was happening now "To be eternal until it was over."

Jackie smiled gently on him "Yes. And it's over already, Marco… You need to let it go so you can move on with Star."

"What about you?" Marco asked finally looking on her eyes.

Jackie looked at their hands together "I'll be fine and move on too."

One of his hands went to her face, cupping her cheek and making her look at him "And Australia?"

"My invitation still valid if you want to go. I invited you as a friend, not only because you were my boyfriend." She shrugged and smiled. Marco frowned suddenly and Jackie giggled "What is it?"

"It's… Weird" He admitted. "We should hate each other, be broken, hurt and all, but… I just feel this strange feeling that this is right. I'm sad that it didn't work out, but I don't regret anything we went through…"

Jackie gave a faint laugh "We don't need to be strangers to each other. I want to still be your friend and to Star too. It will be weird for a while, but hey, we all learned to deal with a magical princess from another dimension; I think we can deal with a bit of awkwardness for a while" Marco laughed too.

"I guess…" He smiled at his ex-girlfriend "I'm sorry it didn't work out, that it took so long for me to realize and we could both move on."

"Me too" Jackie caressed his cheek "Now, give me the necklace"

Marco put his hands on his neck and took the chain, sliding above his head while she did the same. Both chains on her gloved hand, pedants of key and heart padlock together once again to be kept away until someone got what it needed to hold the key to the girl's heart.

Someone cleared his throat and both teenagers looked behind them to see their friends there witnessing the moment. Alfonso pretended it was accidental and looked away.

"So… Now can we go? I'm feeling awkward with all this."

The former couple laughed at him. Jackie put her hands on the hips and moved her hair on a playful way "Not yet! I'm back on hunting!" All of them laughed at her. Finally the tension had lifted a bit and they could play around without hesitation.

Janna hugged Jackie "Thank you! I missed having a partner looking someone to hook up!"

Jackie frowned. "I'm not sure if I want to do this with you"

Janna pouted at her and the boys laughed again. Alfonso and Ferguson went to Marco commenting something about him being a heartbreaker – Literally – which reminded him of Star. Marco looked at Jackie and smiled.

"What now?"

She put the necklaces on her purse, and then both hands on his shoulders smiling "Now we go after Star and you two get your relationship solved."

Marco shrugged and scratched his neck feeling happy and nervous to talk to the princess. If his crush on – No, _love_ for her was denied and hidden until then, now it was coming on him like a waterfall of feelings. All the moments together, intimacy, the almost kisses got into him and she couldn't help the blush on his cheeks. It was even better now he knew she loved him too, he just hoped he could fix all the misunderstanding from earlier.

"Yeah…" He managed to say "I should go home and talk to her."

Marco was expecting a few jokes on him, pats on his shoulders, and some teasing… Not the terrified, pale and shocked faces on his friends. He frowned confused.

"What?"

"You mean…" Ferguson said with difficulty "That Star already went home?"

He got even more confused at his question. "Yeah, after our fight she decided to leave… Why?"

"Marco…" Jackie was the one closer, so she held his arm on the same way she did every time something bad was about to happen. The fear on her face made him even more worried on their reaction.

And he should, because when the words slips from her lips, he feels all of his fears from the past weeks hit him like it was obvious all the time and he was blind. He can't help to feel his whole body cold and get desperate on the single phrase she says.

"Star is going back to Mewni tonight."

* * *

 _I wonder if I should post the next one in the morning (in 6 horus to me)?_


	12. After Her

_Obviously the answer was "no"_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 12: After Her**

Star got out the portal and landed on the concrete gently. She looked around confused by the modern houses, that wasn't Mewni. Turning around realization struck her as she spotted the Diaz house behind her. The faint blue light in the air let her know that the magic to erase her existence was already up for it, but that wasn't what had surprised her.

Star thought of home; magic brought her to the Diaz house.

With slow and trembling steps, she got closer to the door. Looking at the front garden taking all the details she could, this is the last time she'll ever see it. She remember when Marco fell on the cactus when they first meet, about all the fights against Ludo there, on the times they played with the laser puppies, when she saw snow for the first time, how Marco helped her to walk through the frozen sidewalks on winter, and most of all, on how Marco always opened the door so she could walk first.

All the memories aren't warm like before anymore, and yet they weren't painful either, they're just… there. And these hollow memories empty of emotion is everything she will have. The princess still feels the longing in her very being, longing that came from the words never said out loud by both of them, but that the actions carried away.

She loved him. He would never love her.

She'll leave with all those memories. He won't even notice her absence.

Star looked at the front door taking a breath. One last time she'll walk through it, she might as well take all the good memories on everything she look at. Her hand at the door handle opens it slightly before she takes a last look at the street.

Tears sting her eyes a bit and Star decides to stop avoiding the inevitable and making her pain longer, she's the only one suffering and that will continue to suffer the longer she takes. Turning around, she took a into the house.

And so her existence begins to fade.

.

.

.

"What?!" Marco screamed. He had actually screamed, not just exclaimed as he thought "What do you mean by Star is leaving?!"

Jackie looked impressed just as he was "She haven't told you _anything_?!"

"No! This is the first time I hear something like this! What's going on?!"

"She said she would tell you!" Jackie replied in surprise and worry, "She said that she would tell you that and that she's leaving tonight because of the war in Mewni!"

" _What?!_ " Marco shouted in disbelief "Since when Mewni is on war?! There wasn't a peace agreement?!"

"It's not war yet," Janna said "but there _is_ a threat on Mewni by a kingdom that wants to take advantage on a marriage between her and their prince or a war between the kingdoms, so she has to go back to solve that."

Marco felt the air escape his lungs end refusing to go back, his feet felt light and his body trembled at gravity failing him. All that caused by the mention of the word "Marriage" attached to the future of his best friend, and recently found love if his life. The hurt made him few like eternal minutes went by, even if it passed just a few seconds in reality. He had a hard time trying to think straight again and forcing his lungs to cooperate with him so he could speak, even so his voice wasn't more loud than a whisper.

"Star is getting _married_?!"

Janna was the one to reply while searching something on her phone "No, she's trying to find a solution, but on either way she would have to leave anyway."

Marco ignored the last part due to the shock of all the news coming to him at once "How you _all_ know about this, but not me?!"

"She was hiding from you and didn't want you to know…"

All else that Alfonso said was not heard. The only thing on his mind was that Star had this _huge_ problem and she didn't want him to know. She _planned_ to hide- _she did hide_ it all from him until the last moment. She kept as a secret like he couldn't be trusted enough to know about and try to help, what she took him for?

Things were bad than he could imagine and he made even worse. He broke her heart, all because he couldn't take a breath when she confessed to him… Oh no, she was trying to tell him something, wasn't she?! Star probably was _finally_ trying to say about her departure and he messed _everything_.

"That's not important right now!" Ferguson said shaking Marco by his shoulders to bring him back on reality, "Star is leaving heartbroken and she'll never come back, Marco!"

"Why she wouldn't come back? She has the Wand and the dimensional scissors!" He replied confused, trying to get attached to anything that seemed logical or hopeful in this situation.

"Because she's wiping every single trace of magic, that includes other dimension interference!"

Well, there it goes the last of his sanity.

"WHAT?!" Marco screamed. More he found out about Star plans, more desperate and hopeless he got. Every time he thought on a possibility to make things rights, it was taken from him by some kind of action she was about to do.

"Ferguson is right," Jackie said in a hurry "if we don't go right now, she'll never know about how you feel and you guys will _never_ make up on this mess."

"I-I can try go over Mewni, I know we can do that with dimensional mirrors too…"

Alfonso looked at him sternly and said "Star _has_ to clean every trace of magic from Earth, this means no magic, no dimensional travels and no way to talk to her!"

"We can find a way…" Deep breaths, he had to remain calm to think clearly and find a solution out that mess.

"Marco, Star is a _magical princess_ ," Janna's sad face was a clear alert to him that there wasn't coming good new, even so, he hoped in vain for something good, "we won't remember her."

As if that was the last straw, Marco had to hold on the wall behind him. He wouldn't _remember_ her? That was impossible! There were too many memories, it had been four years together, many fights and laughed along, they couldn't be _erased_ without them noticing, they have known something was wrong and...

 _They could be replaced and twisted_. They wouldn't try to find answers because they would change and refill the blank space with something else. They would accept everything because it would all seem normal and with no anomalies by other means…

And he would lose her forever.

"We are wasting _time!_ " Alfonso said pulling Marco by the tuxedo, "We explain everything on the way, let's get Ferg car!"

They ran through the school building across the corridors to get on the parking lot faster without having to contour the whole school. They explained all the confusion on the way, the same way it had been told them.

.

.

.

Star saw how the magic activated itself in the moment she stepped in the house. Like a wind had come through when she opened the door, things begin to move and change. She hugged her arms by the cold, noticing something on her wrist.

The bracelet. A bracelet with little hearts, a star and the lock of a moon. A bracelet she got from her best friend before she messed up everything…

Why didn't she stay quiet? Why she had to say it all to him? Why did she confess?! Now she lost everything she had with Marco… It would have been better to leave only being his friend, with good memories and a nice night dancing, even if he wouldn't remember her later (he wouldn't any way,) at least _she_ would have him smiling at her as the last memory, not…

Not him breaking her heart and confessing he couldn't love her. Now this memory was attached to anything related to him (including the bracelet,) hurts deeply in her broken heart. As Star realized this, just to _look_ at the object hurt; to be wearing it felt like it was burning her skin. She felt the tears coming back, her hand was shaking when she held the pedant. It was so beautiful a few hours ago, and now it was painful.

How come a few hours can change so much the meaning in things?

Trying to stop the pain, Star held the chains and pulled the bracelet out of her wrist, breaking the lock as she got it out. Her wrist got hurt a bit, a red mark signaling the place where the object once had been and would be injured for a while. She tossed away from her without looking behind or giving a care on where it went. She didn't want it with her anymore, just like she would leave anything related to her best friend behind and let the magic wipe away.

If Marco could break their bond, so could she.

She _had_ to.

.

.

.

 _Star stood on the middle of Janna's living room, from times to times passing around, sitting on the couch or just standing there. She explained how Mewni improved from a little country to an ascendant, how the union of magic and science brought peace and good life to the citizens, she went into explaining the tradition of marriage, until finally explaining the war threat._

" _I'm trying to think on something but… This is too complicated. One wrong word can lead to Interdimensional War."_

" _You mean that if you don't found another solution, you gonna have to marry a guy you never have seen in your life?" Alfonso asked._

" _Not only that." Janna commented, and then repeated what Glossaryck told her "She will unify the kingdoms, in which their politics will merge, so depending on the way it happens, the law changes, the life equality…"_

" _Which means?"_

 _Star sighed, holding her own hands on her lap "Depending on how their laws works, I may lose the crown."_

 _A sharp inhale was taken from the teens there "You can reject the proposal and may cause a war, or marry and may lose the crown?!" Ferguson said angry at the situation "What kind of insane deal is that?"_

" _That's what I need to figure out… I'm still thinking about it, so I'm sorry if I can't give you many details. I'm still confused as well" Star smiled at the concerned faces of her friends. Even Janna was with a worried._

" _Why you can't refuse right away?" Ferguson asked._

" _It's a time of peace, the slight conflict can be the spark to begin a huge war. My parents could easily put Mewni to fight, but who would have to deal with the war and consequences later on would be me and the younger generation. That's why they trusted me with this decision…" Star looked up in thinking "Because when the conflicts happen it would be me taking care of it as the queen, not them." She got up yet again passing around, "I know I need to avoid this wedding insanity, but I need to find a fair way to do it."_

 _A hand hold one of hers and she looked up to Jackie, her green eyes hurtful for the situation of her friend, Star gave a light smile when the other blond begin to tear up. "I'm sorry, Star."_

 _The princess inhaled and gave a loud sigh dropping her shoulders, trying to relieve the tension in the room "It's fine. I'll find something out of this, you'll see."_

" _But…" Ferguson said biting his lower lip and continued "This means this will be our last party together, besides the prom?"_

 _Star smiled sadly "I'm afraid so."_

 _She blinked and in the next second Alfonso was hugging her until there was no way to breathe "I'll miss you!"_

 _One after another, they all hugged her, to the moment they were in a group hug and she was in the middle. The princess smiled at her friends feeling loved and cared for them… That was until the moment she began to turn purple for the lack of air. Jackie was the first one to step back, looking at Star and pulling others away._

" _Guys, she needs air!"_

 _They all separated laughing at the breathless princess, drying the tears of sadness and nostalgia "Let's make this party to both of you. This will be a celebration of Jackie' success and Star's farewell" Janna suggested._

 _Little by little they begin to rise up and talk about all the adventures they had, as to change the mood into the good memories while they could remember it. It hurt that they would lose her, but that couldn't be changed. So instead of getting sad by it on the last days, they decided to enjoy it._

As they finished explaining, Marco run ahead of them and pushed the double doors to the parking lot open. He needed to apologize, he needed to comfort her, he needed _her_. He tried to spot Ferg's car in hope they would make on time if they run.

.

.

.

At the home, Star watched as the portraits changed. Some would just make her presence disappear, some others needed more change. Those were particularly interesting, they would have the colors explode to white like a burnt frame, right before fading to the new image just like a photo recently revealed.

Sometimes it took more than just taking her out, it would place someone _else_. In the picture of Star trying to eat her first burger changed to a new one of Marco hanging out with Ferguson and Alfonso, still eating the burger, but the context was totally new. She wondered if their memories would also be changed to fit the pictures.

The dogs passed by her, going upstairs to explore what was happening excitedly… All except for one.

"Hey, buddy… What's the matter?"

The dog just let out a cry, dropping his head, ears and tail. Then it went upstairs too and Star followed.

He went to Mr and Mrs Diaz room, where both adults slept peacefully on their bed while a photo album hang there open, the pictures also changing little by little. The dog sat beside them, resting his head on the bed.

"You don't want to go…" Star concluded. The dog just sighed still looking at the couple and an agreement, "I don't want to go either… but we have to."

That was a lie.

It wasn't before of course, but right now all she wanted to do was to _leave_. She wanted to go and leave Earth more than anything. Maybe by leaving, Marco and all these painful feelings would stay behind and she would be able to move on and not feel a thing.

It was different for that animal. He grew up there, he was _born_ there by her magic, if it didn't leave with her he would disappear.

Unless…

"You really want to stay?" The dog nodded in response.

Star went closer to the dog, patting its head and she sat by his side. She took the wand and whispered the words.

 _Born from Magic, created by love, I free you from the essence, but gift you with life and love._

And with this, the dog fell asleep beside the couple. When he woke up, he wouldn't remember her either.

.

.

.

Marco was already into everything that happened in the last few weeks. Suddenly all of Star's actions and insecurities made sense. It was all justified, but it didn't mean it hurt less. She had her reasons, that was a fact, but it was the fact she hide it all and _planned_ to never tell him any of that, that hurt.

Even if she had the best intentions to do so, it still hurt him deeply and badly.

As Ferguson and the others tried to find the car in the middle of all the other ones from other students, Marco decided to try buying time, maybe even get part of the problem solved or in the way to be solved (even if just a little part of it.)

He got his phone, accessing Star's contact on it. A silly picture of her making a face at the camera showed up and he pressed the call button. It rang to the limit until get on her voicemail, her cheerful voice in the recorded message didn't fit the situation he found both of them.

"Hey Star, it's me, Marco. When you meant leaving I didn't think you actually meant _leaving_ , like _'I'm going home to never come back'_! Hold on there, I'm going home and we'll find a solution for all of this-" he was interrupted by a beep that told him he reached the limit of recording time.

He tried again, it also went to the voicemail. "The gang told me about what was happening, the need for you to come back, the tradition, everything! Why didn't you tell me?! We could have found a solution, we could have found an escape route! I just- it doesn't matter right now, just wait for me, ok? I'm coming for-" the beep finished his recording again.

On his third try he noticed something odd. Star's contact was suddenly missing of picture, it was default version for when a new contact was added. Marco ignored while he tried to reach her again, this time it only rang twice before it dropped. He felt the madness in his veins for that, so he called once again without wasting time and it went to the voicemail, "Are you kidding me?! I know you saw the call, you ignored it! Star, come on. Please, _talk to me_. I'm really getting desperate and worried here. Just…"

This time it wasn't the beep of record limit that cut him, but rather his phone itself. Marco looked at the screen confused, staring for a moment at the picture they took together. It was a selfie, she took the picture by his side with the others were around them…

He didn't get to look at it for longer than a few seconds before his phone's screen when completely blank.

"Oh, no" Marco murmured as he tried to revive his phone. He shook it, tried to turn it off, then turn it on, he was getting desperate when suddenly the screen showed up again as if it was just turned on "From all the times this could have happened, it decided to happen right no-"

Marco stop talking as he looked on the screen again. It was all the same, all the configurations he set even the picture that was his screensaver. It would have been fine it wasn't for one detail…

Star was missing.

The place where once Star stood was now empty and behind him his friends smiled to the camera as he held his phone for the picture.

Star was _missing_.

"No… This is _not_ happening."

Marco begun to search frantically through his contacts. Star name was still there and he pressed in a hurry trying a call hoping it was just a glitch of the phone, not her vanished right before his eyes.

Janna and Alfonso that were closer to him seemed to notice how his temper changed yet again, Marco had spoke before they could ask "Her pictures on my phone just changed and she's no longer in them." He explained, both of his friends look at him worried just like he was "Try to reach her by yours too."

The ring went on until he heard her voice yet again " _Hi, here's Star! I can't reach you right now, but don't be sad! I'll call you back right after! Leave a message if you want, bye!_ "

Her cheerful voice was cut by a beep and Marco tried yet again to leave a message, "Star, you just disappeared from the pictures on my phone. Please, tell me you didn't started this magic, _please._ I want to talk to you, I _need_ to talk to you. _Please_ , don't leave…" He hang up to try calling again.

This time, it went directly to the voicemail without her voice message. "Star, just answer the phone! I know you are there, you ignored the other call! For- For freaking God sake can you just pick up?! Let me talk to you, I'm sorry, ok?! I overreacted, I didn't mean any of that and I know you are hurt, I'm a idiot, we both had been really stupid. Please, just-" the beep of recording limit cut him again.

He tried yet again. It went to the voicemail and without her voice again. He kept looking for the car, getting desperate to go home. If Star had really activated the magic, he had no time to waste, they were literally losing her.

"Star, I'm begging you. Pick up the phone. I promise you that we can go over this, I promise I'll try my best and stay by your side, even if I have to go to Mewni, but please don't leave. I promise I'll do better. Don't give up on this already… Please say _something_ , but don't-" he felt the words suffocating him and tried to take a breath- "Star… _Please don't leave me…_ " His voice was cut after a few more seconds by the beep.

He looked at the call and just then realized there wasn't a contact anymore, just a phone number.

She was vanishing.

Star was slipping away through his fingertips like dust on the wind and he couldn't hold her no matter how much he was trying. Little by little the evidences of her presence were vanishing, if that magic was reaching the smallest things as phone contacts he had no doubts he would have no memories of her when it was complete.

Marco dialed her number, as he still remembers. It goes to the voicemail again, he hangs up to try yet again. His face pales when the message changes.

" _It wasn't possible to reach this number you dialed. Please, try again later on or confirm the phone number."_

 _Oh no._

Marco tried again another three times, pulling strands of his own brown hair out of frustration. Janna and Alfonso didn't have many different results from what it happened to Marco.

On the fourth call, Marco stop breathing from a moment when yet another filament of hope was lost. It was another kind of message, the one he wished he didn't heard right.

" _The number you dialed doesn't exist, please verify the number and try again."_

.

.

.

Star looked at her phone. The message to confirm if she wanted to reset it and erase everything on it, was shining faintly on her screen. She was about to press the button when there was yet another incoming call from Marco and she ignored.

There were already 17 missed calls, 12 texts and even more notifications from the other applications and social media by the others. That kept the number growing as more time passed by and she ignored it all.

At this point it was certain that they figure out she was leaving and Marco also found out. Did he find out everything or just about her going to Mewni? Did he know she isn't coming back?

It didn't make difference, even if Marco had found out, soon all of them would forget everything, even about this moment. She wondered if Marco was trying to reach her just to say goodbye, to apologize, to tell her he knew everything or to stop her. She realized that even that didn't matter anymore. Apparently, nothing did.

It was a countdown to the minutes she was still there and they would be affected by her existence. If she already vanished from pictures, soon she would also vanish from any other things related to Earth.

With that in mind, she pressed the "reset" button and lost everything about Earth on her mirror-phone. If they were forgetting about her, maybe she should try too.

She put her phone inside one of her bags, then looked around the room. The princess would need help to get it all, so she went to the mirror and saw her marks.

Shattered. Just like she felt. It was no mystery that the Buterffly's had their marks changing according to their feelings, so she wasn't that much surprised to found her heart broken, she did felt like that after all.

Nevertheless, she took a bit of her make-up and applied to the marks, so no one would notice neither the make up or the marks. She was already having trouble dealing with herself, she didn't need questions and people over her wondering what happened or worried. She had enough of it already with Marco.

She checked on the mirror itself to see anything and when she was sure there was no signs of her marks she pressed the call button.

"Call mom."

Her mother didn't took long to pick up, " _Star? You're late for your prom…_ "

"Actually…" Star replied "I just came back."

"Really?" Her father said beside her mother "It's early, we thought you would like to enjoy to the last minute."

"I did!" She said pretending to be excited, "But I got tired fast and decided to go home… I think I'm done here, there's nothing left for me to do" she smiled.

Her mother didn't look convinced, however her father went on (if he had realized that she was lying, he decided not to mention) "Well then, what do you need, darling?"

"I want the maids and guards to help me to take my stuff."

"Very well, then." Her mother said, "We'll send them right away."

"Thanks, mom. I'll see you guys in a bit."

"We'll be waiting for you, dear."

They hang up afterwards. A few minutes later a portal to Mewni was open.

.

.

.

"I found the car!"

To hear Ferguson say such things was like to get water after hours burning in the sun.

But then he saw the face of his friend.

"We have a problem."

The others went to the same direction Ferguson had came from. They saw a lot of cars parked side by side, with no ways to get out… and Ferguson's car right in the middle of the parking mess.

"This is a joke." Marco said annoyed, "It's like the universe conspiring against us!"

Janna stepped ahead pulling him, "We still can take it out. Call Monster Arm, I'll help you to get it out."

"Right!" Marco extended his arm and said the enchantment, but nothing happened.

"What are you waiting for?!" Janna complained.

"I am trying, it's not happening!"

"What do you…"

Janna didn't finished to speak as her body went weak and she fainted. Jackie was closer and reacted fast in holding the girl with Alfonso's help so she wouldn't hit the ground. Carefully, they both lowered to the ground and the blond sat holding her friend's torso closer to hers.

"Janna? What happened?" Jackie asked as the others got closer to see their friend.

She looked tired, exhausted at her limit, like something had drained her suddenly. Janna couldn't use the Wicked Blood in that circumstance, they knew by experience it was risk…

 _The Wicked Blood_.

He couldn't use Monster Arm, Janna suddenly got tired and was drained of magic, Star's presence was fading, he saw it happening with his phone. She was using the Erasing Magic, it wiped anything to Magic completely away.

"It's the magic…" he said out loud finishing his trail of thoughts, "It drained the magic within you, or just reversed the spell that kept it awaken or… I don't know, all I know is that she's vanishing…" Marco murmured frustrated.

"My magic was given by a spell that had waken the Wicked Blood, without any magic it got sleep again." Janna said slowly by her suddenly numbness "But yours was a magical parasyte, she would have to take it out not just clean it."

Jackie looked at him in wonder "Did Star take it out? Do you know?"

"No" Marco replied, "She had no opportunities to try without me noticing. The only moment she could have it was…"

 _When he slept on her bed after their fight._

He. Was. An idiot.

She wasn't just worried about him, she was trying to get Monster Arm out. Maybe she could have been worried, but now Marco felt utterly _betrayed_. Star used his most vulnerable moment to take Monster Arm out of him without him suspecting a thing, heck she probably drained any magic cells within him too, which meant his resistance, force and agility were not the same anymore…

They wouldn't get to her in time.

"Is… is this it?" Alfonso said sadly, getting in the same conclusion as him "We lost? We lost Star?"

Marco looked at his phone. To see the picture were once his best friend stood smiling brightly now being replaced with a picture without her felt so wrong and out of place.

Was that it? Is this how the rest of his life be like? No trace that she had ever been there to begin it and no possibility of her coming back… he would just move on with his life like her absence had not mattered at all? Could he do that? Without a single trace of Star in his life, he could. There would be nothing to go back to… He could do that, and it wouldn't even make a difference. Marco could go to Australia with Jackie, get his graduation on whatever he thinks of it, find a woman, get married, get a job, have kids and it would all still the same. He _could_ live on without her in his life…

 _But he refused to do it._

"No…" He looked up to his friends, "You guys stay here with Janna, call an ambulance if she gets worse."

"Where are you going?" Jackie asked.

"I can't let her leave, I have to get to her. I just can't lose Star. I'll try to get there in time! I _have_ to!" He took a deep breath and gave Ferguson his phone in case they needed, "I'm going after her."

And with that he turned on his feet running off without looking back.

"Marco, get my skate! You know the combination!"

He had no time to turn back, so he decided to thank later, when they got this all solved. Marco got the skate and smashed the door hard as he got on it. He let the helmet behind, there was no time for safety when your bestfriend is vanishing from your life.

As Marco went on the way to his house, he used the adrenalina and desperation on his favour. He _had_ to get on time! It was his last hope.

The wind is cold by the night time and the only sound in the street was from a few houses and the skate's heels. He tried to keep the memories of her, bringing them all into mind and holding on them to keep his hope, as if that could hold Star there until he got to her.

.

" _Hey, Marco…" she said as she looked into her book, "Have you ever wondered how the first person to met a ponyhead reacted?"_

 _Marco not only did as he probably reacted the same by screaming and passing out._

" _Not really, why?"_

" _First, don't lie to me. Second, I was wondering… If in my dimension people didn't had any similarity to humans, do think I would be accepted the same way I was?" She asked._

 _Marco looked at her curious. She was into the phase her girly body was changing to a matured one. As much as Marco wanted to feel shame to be noticing every single change on her, he couldn't help since his hormones were also changing him and affecting just as much. Her hair was in a ponytail and the headband of the day was the design of trees._

" _Why are you asking this?"_

" _I don't know… I guess the whole '_ _ **you don't belong**_ _ **here**_ _' stuff made me think about it…" she pouted._

 _Marco smiled at her and shrugged. "Nah, don't mind what that stupid politician said. We all like you the way you are, I bet he will lose just because of what he said."_

" _You sure?"_

" _I am. Besides, if he doesn't want to get to know you, he's the one missing all the adventures. Just for that he's a jerk."_

 _He went back to read his magazine about karate, he needed to train and learn soon to get a new belt. If he was more into it he would have missed as Star quietly, almost shy, replied him._

" _Thank you, Marco."_

 _When he looked back at her, she was reading the book again humming happily as she swung her legs back and forth. He smiled at her without her realizing._

 _._

The princess watched as the guards and maids were cleaning her room.

"You know…" Glossaryck said floating beside her, "I still think you should wait a bit more. The boy was obviously trying to reach you, it should mean something." He turned to her staring sternly at her face, but Star kept watching the maids movement ignoring his judgmental eyes" But you already know that, right?"

Star just looked at her wand, once again complete thanks to his help… It was the same thing that could turn either good or bad depending on the wielder. Just like she felt.

"It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?"

"No, it doesn't." She turned to him looking with indifference at her guide, "Either he regrets what he said and wants to apologize or found out the truth about what what's going on the last weeks, it doesn't change anything. I still need to leave and he will forget everything anyway… It doesn't matter if I forgive him or he forgives me, we'll both move on and there will be nothing left for him to apologize or feel guilty." She turned to keep watching the maids "It doesn't matter."

Glossaryck nodded. "What's the plan for now on?"

Star looked at herself in the mirror, then she went to her box with jewels and took her royal tiara out. Taking the pearled one out of her hair, she put on the place her crown was and placed softly on her hair.

"I become the Queen of Mewni."

.

Marco turned a square before his house. A flashlight blinded him for a moment and he losing his balance, the skate went down a passing car he fall on the sidewalk by luck. His elbow hurt and he could feel the sting from the cut on his eyebrow, he definitely had quite a scratch on his hand too.

He got up fast and tried to find Jackie's skate, feeling upset and cursing at the wind when he found it broken to pieces. He didn't try to get the pieces back, it would be useless, instead he decide to run the rest of the way. It wasn't far, maybe he could still make it.

 _Wait for me, Star._

.

" _Are you sure you want to let go?"_

" _Marco, I got this! I am Star Butterfly! I'll overcome this terrible enemy!"_

 _Marco made a deadpanned face "You fight monsters and the forces of evil, but the_ _ **ice**_ _is your enemy?"_

" _It's not natural for a ground to be this slippery!"_

" _It's an ice ring, Star."_

" _So?!"_

 _Marco sighed as he heard his friends skating around and tripping on themselves. They found out that no matter how much Star tried, she just couldn't stand on ice by her own even if her life depended on it._

 _And oddly, she could stand and walk on ice as long she was touching Marco. At first he thought it was a joke, but then she fell on her face and got a nosebleed because of the injury. She didn't liked that, so to overcome the frozen sidewalks in winter, Star decided it was better to learn ice-skating._

 _That or she was watching that new anime about ice-skating._

" _You just need to learn, Star" Marco rolled his eyes, "trust me, once you learn you realize it's easy."_

" _Maybe for you in Earth."_

" _How comes it never snows in Mewni?"_

" _It does snow, but we don't let our streets freeze!"_

 _Marco was about to ask how when he saw her purse, where the Wand was safely kept._ _ **Magic, of course.**_

" _You guys are coming?" Jackie asked._

" _Eventually…" Marco sighed. "Star it's a slow student."_

" _Hey!"_

" _You know it's true."_

 _She offered a pout as reply. With a sigh, Marco held her arms, pulling her as he was skating backwards "Just hold on me and follow my steps. You can do this, I believe in you, Star."_

 _She giggled at that smiling widely "Ok, then!"_

 _._

Star looked around the empty room. There would be a lot of furniture she wouldn't need and decided to donate to someone in need. Glossaryck had also got his stuff from his tower and was now sitting on her magical book, both floating as just a few stuff were being carried through the portal.

She looked around, the place she lived for long four years, with so many memories… She would miss this. All of it.

Star decided to take a last glance at the Diaz. They were still fast asleep, the dog laying down by their side and the pictures completely cleaned of her presence. Once she got in the portal, everyone would have the same effect of sleep state, so the remaining fragments of magic would be erased and anything beyond normal would be called as a dream.

The memories with her would come to them like a dream, they would remember everything about her, then she would disappear completely as they open their eyes and wake up in a world without magic, but most important: A world in which she never existed.

.

Marco could feel his legs asking for a rest, his breathing heavy and his lungs burning _begging_ for a quick stop so they could get more air. He felt the sweat running down his face, but he didn't have time to try get out his tuxedo. All he could think was that _he had to make on time._ Afterwards he could rest, he could breathe and calm down his heart, he would have time to _anything_ after, but right he couldn't give himself the luxury to lose a second.

 _He needed to get to her_.

As he went down the street, he could see the faint light on his house, he was feeling a bit more hopeful. And sleepy. A sudden need to sleep and rest he lost a bit of his track. He tried to think on her and what he was about to lose, what was slipping away from him without return, then he could bring himself to keep going on.

He realized what it was the truth as suddenly there were a thousand of memories with his best friend coming to his mind… And then going blank.

He was losing his memories.

 _He was losing Star._

"No…!" Forcing his body to move due desperation, he ran to his house. Images of her flashing in his mind for one last time.

Her smile, her eyes, her skin, her lips, her laugh, her faces, her hair, her colors, her cheeks, her hands, her legs, her body, her presence, her voice, her courage, her determination, her clumsiness, her innocence, her strength, her caring, her warmth, her existence… Her everything.

Her.

.

"Shall we go?" Glossaryck asked once there was nothing left there for her. The extension of her tower would change back to the room it once was as the magic would finish itself, so she wouldn't have to worry about it.

Star looked at her counselor "Yes, we shall."

Glossaryck nodded and went ahead, giving her a few seconds of privacy she needed to the final goodbye.

She looked around, giving herself a last moment to remember how great were the four years and how much she loved the boy she was leaving behind. It was funny, four years ago she was sad to leave Mewni. Four years later she was sad to be leaving Earth.

With a deep breath she turned around and stopped one step away from the portal. Looking behind, she hoped for a second that Marco would walkthrough and stop her, held her in his arms and say something… It wouldn't happen. She knew that.

"Goodbye, Earth."

And with a sad smile, she stepped into the portal to her home and disappeared together with the portal.

.

The boy had just arrived the front garden when he saw her tower glow. His heart clenched in his chest, frustration and sadness mixing into one as he lost his last hope.

 _It was too late._

Because the tower shining meant the magic was acting on it, which meant the magic was over it would be gone in a few seconds along with the fragments of her still around with him.

Marco fell in his knees. She was gone, it had no more reason to run and no more reason to try reach for someone who was in an impossible distance for him to cross. His body curved forward as he punched the ground out of anger. A desperate cry got out his throat as he felt the tears coming and his heart being ripped apart.

" _Star!"_

After his scream the tower vanished to the room it once was. The light flash all around and Marco hold on to her image one last time with everything he got, he held to it because it was all he had left to do. He knew that hope for anything else would be in vain.

So in that last second, he saw her. Her in everything she was and would ever be and become. The princess that had loved him despite he was nothing special, just an ordinary boy from somewhere that looked at her as a person before looking at the crown on her head.

He held into the image of the one he loved right before he would lose it. As the light around her image grew and her image was harder to see, he knew it was over. Marco closed his eyes and knew he would remember none of it once he opened again. So as a last thought, he let it go forcefully and the numbness took over him.

 _Goodbye, Star._

Then it was all gone.

* * *

 _Oh well, now the climax is over... but the story continues 8D_

 _and yes,, the "idiot polician" is Trump, sadly it's a reality *sighs*_

 _Now I'll ask for a bit of patience since I'm still writing the others ^^'_

 _and also because this is the last semester of college (I'll graduate in July!)_

 _Now we are ready to SVTFOE bomb! (I had a serious feeling that's a lie...)_

 _I hope you guys enjoyed and I meet you all in the next :D_

 _*hugs*_

 _~Lullaby_


	13. After Blue

This chapter is been done since FEBRUARY, but as you can see it's long as hell and took long to correct (I'm not even counting on college homewroks- thankfully i'm graduated yaay) and it was only fair I gave my betas freedom of time to read it all. Some didn't got to finish reading even... But after today episode I think you guys (and Marco) deserved a gift :D

If you follow my tumblr, you had been updating that it took long and I'm still trying to get the event weeks done, but for now i think it's good to drop this.

also! I made a discord, if you go to it, you'll find the channel Ever-After made exclusively for raging on this fic in case you can't do in here, Ao3, DA or Tumblr :)

 **Discord link is /KCYsrpF**

So here is Chapter 13 (aka #MarcosTurnToSuffer)

A Big shout-out of thankyou to **Shadow-claw12, BlackMermaidLady124, v4rxior, bartox00,** **satosere37, ssboodlal, Dex Cipher, Minthia-Ren, , fairytale-sakura95, dobokdude, DarknessForgoten, LumberHyjack, bitterbluecity3, Epitaxis, BlueBibite, vector arrow, Grace the Great and Powerful, Chorales, grebob, cykablyat, svtfoekitten, nigsnigs, StarsandSunKissed, , Axis26, RenegadeForLife, TheRealCartoonManiac, jocuda, CubanoFlame, CainLionheart** and **guests** for all the reviews, follows and favorites! _ **  
**_

 _Also to Tamiletrange, Allan Cutrim and Evaunity42 for beta-reading and support! You guys are awesome! Even-Losers-Can-Win (aka AC) made an_

 _With any further ado, let's go to 31 pages #Marco'sTurnToSuffer :D_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: After Blue**_

Marco didn't know what he expected when he woke up, he didn't remember falling asleep to begin with. Maybe he was expecting to see his room, the TV on the living room or even the class. A part of him was expecting to see blue…

Whatever blue meant.

Nonetheless there was nothing blue to see around, instead, he had to make his eyes get used to white. The ceiling, walls and floor. And also the guy beside him.

"How do you feel?"

Marco tried to think about it, it was hard when your head feel lighter than air, "Airhead, tired… My forehead hurts a bit… a bit loopy."

"You know where you are?"

"It's a hospital, but why am I here?"

"Your parents found you unconscious at the doorstep from your house. You have a few injuries, so they thought it would be better a check up." He wrote something on a board and put his pen in the front pocket. "What's your name?"

"Marco Diaz. I'm 18 years old and I study in Echo Creek High School" he replied guessing the questions.

"Ok… What is today?"

"Sunday I think… If I didn't sleep more than one day."

"What is the date?"

"I…" Marco massaged his temple as if it would help him "I'm not sure… Around the first week of May?"

"Correct." The doctor nodded satisfied with the answer even if vague. He wrote something on the papers he was holding and gave to the nurse behind him, then he got a lantern and directed the light on his eye eyes for a moment "It seems you hit your head hard, but nothing to worry about it. A slight concussion but you'll be fine in a few days, you'll feel tired and sleepy most time for the next days, if after three days you don't feel better, you must come back." The men turned off the light and put the lantern back on his pocket, he turned and said something to the nurse and she left the room right after as the doctor turned to him again. "I'll leave you on observation today for safety. Do you remember anything about last night?"

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but closed right after in a frown when no words came out. The doctor looked at him confused by the action.

"Mr. Diaz?"

"I don't remember."

.

.

.

"Mr. Diaz!" Marco looked at the teacher so quick he was sure his head would have fallen if wasn't connected to his neck. His muscles complained of the sudden movement "It's the third time today. Stop daydreaming and pay attention! Your exams are very soon!"

He sighed while trying (and failing) to hide between his own shoulders "Sorry Mr. Hilton."

The teacher looked at him sternly and turned back to the board to finish his explanation.

As much as Marco _wanted_ to pay attention to the class, he couldn't avoid being bothered. Something was wrong. He could feel that something was out of place, but no matter how much he tried, Marco couldn't point out what it was. Ferg and Al had said it was indeed a bit weird, but they assumed it was because high school was finally ending.

Marco knew it was more than that.

So most of teachers had been scolding him for not paying attention, more than anything for staring at the empty table beside him. Something about that empty space had been annoying him since the first day he noticed it was vacant… How come he never noticed before?

Still, the only thing he knew was that whoever sat there, liked spiders a lot, the drawing of smiling spiders at the edge of it were blurred (the other ones were clean, he wondered if someone cleaned them.) but still taken as a proof.

Weirdly the same thing happened at home. He avoided to look at the picture wall on his house. Since he came back from the hospital it felt… Strange. To look at those pictures felt almost like a betrayal.

To whom he didn't know.

Just like him, Barko Diaz also had developed weird habits, such as sleeping in the empty room of the house. If his mother closed the door, the dog would cry and scratch it until someone opened. Most of times it has been him who opened. And every time he did, he wondered if that room had always been that small (it was the same size of his, but still…). Sometimes he would join his dog and lay on the floor with him, just to clear his troubled mind. Even if he got relax a bit, it wouldn't ease him or help to figure out what was wrong.

At dinner time his mother often put one more plate and just noticed when the food was on the table, _"I am so used to the exchange students that I sometimes forgot there is none since you will graduate"_ she would say, smile sheepishly and take the plate away. He would frown without noticing, thinking that plate should have been there, but he didn't know why, there wouldn't be anyone else in there besides them.

It frustrated him deeply and it was annoying him that he doesn't have a reason to feel all that. Everything was as it always had been… Yet he _knew_ that despite his complete normal life, something was _wrong_. It was beginning to stress him that there was no answers to those things, not even a clue of what was going on.

Nevertheless, Marco decided that he would find out the truth and solve all that mystery.

.

.

.

.

.

It was _someone_.

Someone was missing.

He put the pieces together as in a exercise their teacher asked them to put the names of their friends in a paper (it was an activity for the students' farewell,) and not only him, but Ferguson, Alfonso, Janna and even Jackie had put numbers from 1 to 5 instead of 4.

None of them knew why, but Marco pulled the pieces together. The empty table, the fact the teachers got a sparing exam for no reason apparently, a phone number he knew by memory (but didn't exist for some reason), his dog and mother behaviour (was it an exchange student?)… Someone was missing.

How the presence of a whole person could disappear Marco didn't know. Even Ferguson and Alfonso had said it was too crazy to believe, how could they not remember if the person was their friend? Things looked more weird and as more they found out, he had more questions instead of answers.

Janna said aliens, Jackie said maybe it had been a long time ago but only the ending of high school remind them of it, Ferguson said it was a conspiracy of US government.

Marco said magic.

Everyone looked at him as if he had grown a second head, (why that felt somehow familiar?) then shook the possibility off. Magic didn't exist, everyone knew that.

Even so, Marco felt in his heart things were not like they thought.

.

.

.

.

.

Marco sat on the roof of his house. The night had cleared after a rain, so the wind was damp and refreshing with the scent of nature. He laid down ignoring the wet titles and how his back felt a bit more colder because of the water. His gaze was lost in the night sky, the few distant lights shining on him as the new moon couldn't eased him a bit, it was a nostalgic feeling. When was the last time he did this? He had a feeling that it hadn't been that long, but at the same time it felt like forever. It was one of the few things that made him feel closer to find answers and to realize (and maybe even find) whatever is missing. He knew someone was gone, but how could he not remember a thing on someone who mattered so much?

His most logical conclusion was that the person took something that was his when they parted. Which was weird because Marco didn't feel anything missing aside a red hood, but he assumed it probably got old and his mother threw away or he lost somewhere (it happened before.)

"Where and who are you?" He wondered to himself, talking to the sky trying to get some new information by all he already knew.

The cold breeze caressed his cheek as cold fingers, passing through his hair as he closed his eyes for a moment. The dark and cold of the night embraced him like an old friend he hadn't seen for sometime. Maybe that's exactly why he was getting his habit to do that before sleep…

" _I doubt you even miss me at all..."_

Marco opened his eyes startled. He sat up and looked around frantically, but just as moments ago, he was all alone in his roof with the night. He heard that voice, there was no mistaking on it. It had to come from somewhere, right?

"I do!" He said to the void of night, "I really do, please… Come back!" And yet, the night breeze and crickets just told him what he already knew: He was alone.

He knew what he heard, oddly enough he not only recognized the voice, but he couldn't tell how it sounded like. He just _knew_ … This was yet another piece that didn't fit any of the others. Marco sighed and looked at the sky again, he would keep the words in his mind and put together with all the information he had collected.

Either that or he was going mad.

He sighed when nothing but the night breeze replied him. His heart felt a bit more heavier by every clue he got. He didn't knew how to name the feeling, maybe guilty? Hurt?

Giving up on figuring any more possible clues, the boy got back to his room to try sleep, maybe someday among them he would find the answer. For now the only thing that night could do for him was to give a bit of weird comfort by the unknown relation to whatever was missing.

.

.

.

.

It had been weeks. Just a few weeks and he was already feeling like he would go mad at any moment. The pieces couldn't line up, no matter how much he tried. There were too many pieces missing, and this puzzle was a big one with pieces on different sizes. Even with all the clues he got, they were too small to fill any space or give him a hint or idea of what was missing.

He kept staring at his own reflection in the mirror (a weird habit he had taken just as many others, like talking to the night sky for no reason in particular), just because he thought she would hear. This one was a bit more weird however, because he never expected to see his reflection. It was a strange sensation, a feeling that if he kept looking into it long enough and say something, the mirror would say something back, his reflection wouldn't show anymore.

He would catch himself staring at any mirror he saw for long minutes, he even got late for class once because he kept looking at the mirror in the bathroom to the point he stopped thinking on what he was doing anyway.

The thing was that as much of a weird habit it was, he would keep doing it. Something within him was certain that if he said the right words, something would happen. Something _magical_ … And yet nothing happened.

"Marco?" Jackie called on the other side of Janna's living room sitting at the table with her books, "Are you ok?"

He stared again at the mirror on the wall and shook his head to clear his foggy thoughts, "Yeah, sorry I spaced out…" he massaged his temples, "What did you said?"

"About your answer in question 9, what have you replied?"

Marco made an annoyed huff as he realized he doesn't even remember what he's doing there "What were we talking about?"

"The exam today" Jackie said a bit worried "We are checking answers… Do you think you went well?"

Honestly? He had no freaking idea because he answered everything as it looked like the right answer and let it go. He just wanted to be free and wonder around the school for more clues, he knows they were there.

"Pretty well…" he lied, "And you guys?"

"It was hell" Janna complained laying on the couch with legs up and head down, the arms were up (or down?) resting on the floor, "I wish I could make some kind of witchcraft to turn into a butterfly and escape of those boring stuff."

A new piece fell in and Marco got up screaming at the realization of such small and yet so important.

"Butterfly!" He screamed.

Janna looked at him like he lost his brains (well, he did felt like that in the last week) "Yeah, that's what I said. I wished I was a butterfly so I could escape the exams…"

"No. The person missing, her last name was Butterfly!"

Janna frowned and was about to say something, but Jackie spoke first "Is Butterfly a name?"

" _Last_ name" Marco corrected.

"Whatever. It's not a name." Janna said "I never met a Butterfly."

"I have to agree it's really weird…" Alfonso agreed.

"That's because she wasn't from here! She was from…" Marco stopped talking.

As if there was a switch pressed, suddenly all his thoughts seemed incoherent, like the big puzzle were out of place again and the pieces that were connecting were just gone in that second.

Maybe it was exactly that.

"She?"

Marco almost didn't heard Jackie's question in the middle of his own confusion, he turned to her as the rest of the group had realized the same thing as her.

"Oh, that's true…" Ferguson said crossing his arms over his chest thoughtful, "You said 'she' several times, so how did you figured out it was a girl?"

Marco looked at them surprised, he hadn't realized the pronoun use, but now that they said he knew it was right. Looking at the table he also knew that she liked the songs from Several Timez (thanks to what Ferguson said). Yet those are two pieces completely different and it couldn't connect with the others in any way.

"Marco?" Janna called taking him away from his thoughts looking at him curiously, "How did you know?"

He looked at his friends, his eyes lost a bit more since it all begin replying with the same answer he had was beginning to hate, "I don't know."

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Two days later, he was at the Principal's office getting his suspension. Lucky, most exams were over and the one he would have in the day he got the suspension was the one class he was already good on grades, so it could slip that one.

"What gotten into you?" Jackie had asked while pressing an ice bag on the side of his swollen face as soon as he got out the Principal's office "You got beaten up! Look at you!"

Marco didn't said anything, he hadn't a answer either. At least not one that would ease her or satisfy - So he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

The same couldn't be said about Janna. Both her and Alfonso were looking at Marco sternly. He knew Alfonso was just worried at his behaviour, but Janna had her reasons to be more worried… It hasn't been the first time.

Janna had caught him once trying to start a fight and a second time in which he actually was into one and winning. On both times the fights weren't serious or even with a reason, and thanks to his karate classes, he was able to pass it up the injuries as training accidents. So no one ever found out his fights or the reasons.

But this once couldn't be avoided. Once he saw these boys fighting in school, Marco didn't think twice on dropping everything and getting into a fight that wasn't his.

He sighed looking at the mirror at night. A few scratches, but nothing serious or that could stop him. The fact he had to take care of his injuries himself upset him for some reason. And just as everything else, it made no sense.

With a grunt he threw the towel he was using to dry his face on the other side of bathroom then pulled his hair. He was tired, he wanted all that weirdness and void to be over, and yet he knew there was nothing he could do. It was a feeling of abandonment, like… He didn't know. It was desperately unsatisfying to anything. Not his friends, not his family, not his hobbies.

He got back into his room just to find Janna using his computer.

"Janna!" he said annoyed, but too tired to try take her out his room, "What you doing here?"

"Getting some answers…" She turned around the chair looking at him annoyed, "What got into you?"

Marco dropped himself on his bed grunting, too tired to avoid but also to justify "I don't know."

"Something happened." She said crossing her arms over her chest with determination to get answers "You were a safe kid and suddenly you went… Wild." She frowned.

" _Boo-hoo_ , so what?" Marco sighed and massaged his temples wincing when he accidently pressed one of his injuries, "Sorry… You didn't deserve that even if you invaded my room. You're just trying to look out for me. I know… It's just…"

At his silence Janna sighed and got up to watch him closer "Marco, I know you since day care. Tell me or I'll find out on other ways. You know I can."

Huffing, he kept looking at the ceiling as he spoke "Do you ever felt like something very important was missing of your life? Like you had it and then… it's gone? But you don't remember at all?"

She frowned, "You gone mad because you lost something?"

"No…", he sighed "It's just… I don't know what it is, I know I lost it and I know I need to find without it… it's just blue."

The boy didn't have to look to know his friend looked at him with a concerned face, "You're feeling blue?"

"Kind of…" He replied, "I… I am confused. I know when I woke up in the hospital I was expecting to see… _Something_. I don't know what or how, but I was. and I know that whatever happened that night was a big matter and I just _can't remember!_ " He grunted deeply and sat up.

"Have you tried therapy?" She suggested.

"I'm not insane." He said confident "I know I am not, I can feel in every fiber of me that something is wrong and for some reason I am the only one who can feel it, I don't know why."

When the brunette got quiet for a while (probably thinking in the best answer to him,) Marco reached out and got the bracelet his father had gave to him a while ago, his fingers travelled in the details of the bracelet, the moon, chains and leather. There was something about that always got his attention and made him a bit calmer, but not enough to ease the turmoil inside him.

"All I know…" he decided to continue after a moment when Janna still didn't come up with a reply, "Is that it's related to Blue."

"Blue? The color?"

He shook his head, "Not as… the _color_ blue, I mean, a bit of it…" he looked at her, "Remember the exchange student we can't remember the name?"

"Oh yeah, the one the files were lost somehow?" She replied.

"Wait, lost?"

Janna rolled her eyes, "You can't expect me to get that kind of thing and just go with it. Yeah, I got in the principal's office and tried to find her stuff… But the number registration it's missing. It jumps one number, it's probably this one student."

Marco grunted "See! Every freaking time we got close to a clue, we just find it missing!"

"Before you get mad again, just tell what blue has to do with it."

"It's how I nicknamed the girl" he replies, "Blue. It's the only thing I can remember that it's clearly related to her."

"Because she was depressed?" Janna asked confused.

"No, it was her favorite color."

Marco realized what he said just in the next second. He didn't even thought about it, it had just come up to him the answer. He couldn't remember her, but he was absolutely sure of his answer. The engines on his brain begin to move as a sudden weird idea come up to him.

"Oh I see…" Janna said oblivious to his reaction, "I guess it makes sense… But tell me the reasons of the fights. What the fights had to do with anything?"

Marco couldn't say it. The truth is, he didn't know much of it too. All he knew is that he had a dream with him fighting monsters, that he had a sword to fight and then suddenly _she_ appeared to back him up when he needed. He woke up before the battle was done, and then, with a new determination he got a new clue: She would never let him fight alone.

And thus, Marco begin to fight at any case. He was hopeful that sooner or later she would show up to help him, or at least something else would. It was at his most impulsive actions and thoughts that got him any clues, and if was like that… Well, he might as well continue until he got an answer.

"I don't know" he lied, "I guess I am taking stress out…"

Janna sighed and he knew she probably didn't buy his story "Ok… But be careful, you're getting hurt and hurting _others._ " he winced, he still have the image of his concerned mother looking at his face when he got home with the suspension "Also, I think your parents might be considering taking you to a psychiatrist."

"I am fine." He rolled his eyes "I'm going to rest now if you don't mind. You also have school tomorrow." Janna huffed, but wished good night and let him be alone.

Marco lived on this house for years, so he knew how many steps, and seconds it took to get on the end of corridor to downstairs. Being patient, he laid still on his bed and waited, as soon as he heard the sound of the third step ranging by Janna stepping on it, he got up.

On his computer, he began to search for fight clubs. If everyone thought he was mad, there was no sense in trying to be safe himself, then he should as well act like he really had lost his mind.

Maybe by then Blue would show up.

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"You know why we are doing this, right?" Alfonso said annoyed.

Marco groaned at his friend "Al, let me go!"

"It's enough, Marco!" He replied angrily "How long do you plan to keep like that?!

He pulled his own hair resting his back on the wall of the school hall, "How many times I have to say I'm not insane?!"

"We know you're not…" Jackie replied with arms crossed over her chest, just as worried as his friends "But then, why are you acting like this?"

Marco let his hands fall and rest on his sides. He knew a friendly intervention was coming down on him soon by his friends, but they choose the wrong time and place. Why? Because he was sure he got a glimpse of Blue in the school. He don't how he knew, he just did. There was something on the school from her and he was just about to find when his friends decided to bring in the intervention.

"Look," he said desperately "can we talk later? I really need-"

"Go after this Blue girl?" Ferguson asked frustrated. "Marco, look at yourself! You're wreck! Whatever it is, it's not doing you any good and you should stop!"

He shook his head to his friends, "You guys don't get it!"

"Then explain!" Janna screamed at him angrily "Because if you're doing all this for someone who doesn't care for show up, this person obviously doesn't want to be found!"

"It's not like that!"

"Then what is it?!"

"I don't know!"

Marco wouldn't be able to say what happened, all he knew if that suddenly he was very… Fragile. He knew that whatever clue he found was long gone by now and chasing it would be a waste of time. His legs felt weak and he slid to the floor tiredly. He heard gasps and surprise, he sniffed and only then he realized he was actually crying.

"I don't know…" he sniffed and looked away from them, "I don't know why she left, I don't know why I am the only one who realizes she's missing, I don't know why I remember just bits of her but not everything, I don't know… I don't know…"

He felt a hand on his knee, the intervention to make him stop suddenly turned out compassion and pity for his suffering.

How could he suffer for something- _someone_ he didn't remember? Why everything hurt so much? He got infinite question and yet all the answers he had were either unknown or half things that lead to more questions. Marco was tired, it's been weeks and he still couldn't be at ease knowing that she was out there, that she needed him just as much he was needing her and…

And yet every time someone asked something about her, all he could say was _"I don't know."_

Marco lifted his head looking on the other side of the corridor, "I don't know why she left, but I know she didn't want to. I…" he used his sleeve to dry a bit of his tears and sniffed, "I just want to find her, even if just to know she's ok… I have to…" he looked at his friends familiar faces with eyes full of sorrow, "I can't let go and I can't ignore all this… I just _can't_. I must find her…"

He didn't finished speaking, but he had said enough. His friends hugged him and then Marco broke. Because such gesture was warming and so gentle… Familiar and so distant… And he needed, but even if they were his friends and they were good people, it was not the one he needed. They were not Blue.

His friends got him to infirmary to rest and calm down. Marco fell asleep right after taking a cup of water and laying down, the break down had took all of his energies and the moment he closed his eyes, he realized he wouldn't wake up anytime soon. In moments like this, sleeping felt better than being awake.

In the next day his parents had scheduled a psychologist for him to begin therapy.

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Marco opened his closet, placing the red hoodie with black leather strips aside gently. His favorite one by a reason he couldn't remember (as always). He picked another red hoodie and the black jacket, pulling up the red hood to hide his face. In the mirror his reflection showed his tiredness and a injury still healing from last fight.

In the support to brushes also rested a glass with blue pills that were supposed to calm him down, it would control his sudden anger issues and help his so-called-and-diagnosed depression. Marco never opened the lid and never took a pill. He wasn't insane (even if he felt like he would be soon if all that madness didn't come to an end,) and he wasn't depressed. He was stubborn and determined. He had one objective and he would do it no matter what.

In the computer screen there was the match for the night and without a second thought, he opened his window and escaped, taking his bicycle he took off to his destination without a warning and made all possible to be silent to keep it that way.

Marco walked into the club once again. How many times he had done that in the past month? He lost count, just as he lost many fights and won so many others. He didn't want rewards, he wasn't there for them. Marco wanted answers.

And if that girl refused to show up when he was safe, then he would force her to show up by getting in danger.

Of course, that wasn't something that someone in their right mind would do, but Marco had lost his mind and temper long ago. Every single time he found a clue about the girl, more he found confusing. He would be pushed away by something in the universe, of course he would get frustrated.

And yet he couldn't given up.

He couldn't. He just was unable to. He refused to give up on the girl with every single part on his being. Sometimes he hated her for that, but deep inside he knew it was a lie. He cared so much he just couldn't ignore, he couldn't leave her behind, he couldn't pretend something wasn't missing…

Marco missed her.

He missed her so freaking much he was willing to be in danger just to have the chance (even if the smallest) to her showing up to help him. He doesn't know how he'll know it's her, he doesn't know why, and yet, he was sure he would be able to spot her in the moment she got in the crowd.

So what he got to lose?

People already thought he gone mad, he might as well live the reputation by doing what he had to do complete his objective.

The wagers were made. People prepared the ring for the fight, the fighters went to the lockers and prepared to the round. Marco's was the third one. He bandaged his hands and put his white top with the black pants. He looked at his face on the mirror one last time before heading out the room to the rings. The crowd was already wild with the first fight, screams cheering, gasps and curses flying everywhere as the two fighters punched each other.

There were louder screams and Marco knew the match was over. His eyes scanned the crowd, he tried to spot something, any clue, any hint of the girl's presence. As the minutes passed his heart felt heavier, she would come to help him, wouldn't she? She always did, he knew she did, even when…

When what?

Before Marco could finish the thought to try get any more information from it, someone called his name and he let out a frustrated groan. That again, something _always_ happened when he was about to find clues, but is anything, at least he knew he was on the right way to find the clues he needed.

People roared as he stepped the stage. Silent and determined. The guy on the other side was double his size, but he had learned karate and he knew how to use that against his opponent. The moment the flag was up, Marco was jumping on the other side of the ring punching the other fighter. A punch come to his direction and he stepped back, avoiding it. The crowd around him were exploding in screams and cheering, and yet he couldn't hear the voice of his memories or find any clue.

The crowd was like a blur in the heat of the fight, the voices muffled and he kept his focus. He had one opponent and he faced the guy like he was the origin of all his problems, it was the only way to concentrate into the fight. Marco kept the fight very equilibrated and longer than it was usual for those fight clubs, which he didn't know if it was good or bad, either way he didn't cared, he was just keeping up until something showed up.

He was sweating, he got hit a few times, but nothing serious. He still got a lot of stamina and determination to keep going. If nothing showed up to him, he would be there until something did. Anything, he needed a signal, more clues and he was in deep desperation to get them.

Nothing happened, the only thing annoying him was the crowd that screamed louder by every minute he kept fighting. Marco had decided it was enough and he should end the fight and later get another one. The guy against him was really tired and he was out of patience, he should end before he ended up hurting the guy really bad. He punched the guy in the face and he was ready to punch his stomach to knock him out, but his eyes went to the blur of the crowd for a moment when the guy left his focus by falling to the ground.

There was blue.

It was a blur, in a blink of eye was gone just as fast it appeared. Marco forgot anything he was doing, his eyes wide and desperately looking at the crowd around him, trying to spot that same shade of blue again. The voices around him were just an echo on his wild mind that now had a completely different focus, he had to find _blue_.

He turned around ignoring everything that wasn't blue. Not the woman's scarf, not the hat of a guy in the back, not the shirt of a fat men by the side, not the hood of a guy counting money of his bet on the door, not the judge's whistle, not the gloves of the next fighter coming up, not the bandana on the guy beside him, not the pants of a girl screaming her lungs out for them… None of those were the blue he was searching. That blue had to come from _somewhere_ , how come it disappeared so fast?! It make no sense…

Just like everything else.

A voice had come from somewhere close to him, calling his attention "Hey!"

The young adult just had the time to turn around and then get a punch on his jaw. Being unprepared for the hit, Marco lost his balance, his head spinning around as his body fell. He didn't care, not anymore. The pain was numb on a body void of a feeling - Something so great and yet so painful and that he somehow didn't know what it was. He got his clue, he didn't solve anything, but he got a clue… He may have lost blue on the crowd, but for a moment, even for a _second_ , she was there. Maybe she wasn't there personally, but she definitely was somewhere on his mind. There was no way he could see something related to her and not be it.

Marco could feel Blue on him, eyes looking worried, judgmental and disappointed. She was there somewhere watching and giving up on him... His heart hurt by the simple thought (and truth) that she left him, she that she turned her back and never looked back.

Would he never find her? Why she was still running away and not even trying to met him when he was in danger? She always did, what happened that suddenly she didn't care? He was responding to what he could, with everything he could, with what his soul said was need to find the connection lost… Searching to whatever had been lost.

His body fell on the ground, his vision blurred and focus is lost. The light in the ceiling was blinding him, so he turned around. He saw colorful boots, but it was gone in a blink of eye. In the distance he saw something move, but he couldn't describe what it was exactly. He saw a blur of yellow and pink getting far away and then disappearing on a blur of light.

There was a feeling of dejá vu, but Marco was too far too tired to get anything from it, his mind already giving up on the possible information and everything around him going black. It was hopeless to try go after the clue when your mind it's resetting and it was far too weak to call after her…

Everything turned grey, as the world lost the colors, he doesn't know what blue means anymore.

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It was a bright place. Maybe he should say _palace_ , it looked like one. Big windows, the sun shining through and reflecting on the walls, portraits on the walls and blue carpet. Marco never had been in a castle, but something told him that was how a castle looked like. His legs were guiding him through hallways and stairs. He didn't know were he was going, but move around to figure out was better than standing still.

There was an echo, it vibrated from the walls back to him and beat on his heart. A weird longing took place on his body and he moved in the direction without a second thought quickly as he could. He ran out the stairs all the way back from where he had been, when he was about to get out the doors he heard a new kind of echo.

" _Marco?"_

He couldn't have not known her voice, but he still recognized. In every single piece of him and what made him to be Marco Ubaldo Diaz, he could swear without a doubt _he knew that voice and would recognize it anywhere_. There was no trace of doubt that it was Blue's voice calling for him.

The boy ran faster, he wanted to shout it back, but there was no name to call. " _Marco?!_ " The voice echoed again, this time with a hint of worry. The urge to see her ( _he finally found her!_ ) more than ever. He just needed to see her face, he needed to know her name and say it while looking at her and having sure she was ok, that he was not insane.

At his very soul and mind, he knew that he didn't mind dying if he got to see her face once more, he would die happy. That's his goal, right? To remember her and acknowledge her existence.

Marco didn't know where to or when to stop it the final destination, but he ran. Because it was all that was left to do and the only thing he could do to reach Blue. A weird feeling that he had done that before had been ignored by his desperate need to reach her.

"Marco!"

He stopped. The voice wasn't an echo anymore. Now it was right there, she was behind him. Marco could hear her breathing, as if she had run all her way too. He was scared to turn around and be greeted by nothing but emptiness yet again, but even with all his fear Marco couldn't stop himself from turning around slowly to meet her, to see her at once.

And there it was those blue eyes.

He knew that face, he knew her name, he knew her form and voice and favorite color, he knew her in every single kind of way. And even so, the blue eyed girl standing two feet away from him was a complete stranger.

He knew everything and nothing at the same time. He knew her face and he couldn't recognize, he knew her voice and couldn't describe… He knew everything about her at the same time he knew nothing.

The way his heart beat desperate and longingly was Marco's confirmation that he was in love with her. In whatever past, whatever life and whatever connection they had, he was in love with her. He may didn't know what caused her to give up on him, but he wouldn't let it go, not now not ever… At last, he found out why it was impossible for him to let it go and move on. He couldn't, not when the one he loved the most was away from him and clearly not doing well.

She didn't look good, a sick appearance, tired eyes and he may not remember, but he was sure she lost weight. Her hair was a well take care, but he was sure it wasn't her taking care of it… There was a small smile in her lips. Relief, sadness, guilty, pain, sorrow, frustration, longing… Love. It was all in that smile, and because of that with the way her eyes watered, he couldn't hold himself.

He felt his face reply with the same smile and tears leak from his eyes when he approached her, arms went around her holding her close to assure it was all right, things would be fine. There was no scent from her perfume even if he was sure she had one, she was also weirdly missing warmth.

Leaning a bit back, Marco stared at her eyes noticing the absence of brightness, color and deepness. She touched his face with a sad smile.

"Marco… You shouldn't be here…"

"Why…?" Was all he could say, chest aching in pain once again "Why did you do all this?"

Her eyes were soft and then blue was more than just their color "Because I had to."

"I don't get it… I am looking everywhere for you, I can't find you anywhere, not even a clue! Everything I do slip away from my hands again! Why you're doing this?!"

"That's the way it is." She said calmly and it made Marco's blood run cold, because she wasn't someone that would accept that condition so easily, she wasn't someone who would be indifferent "Things are in their right place, on where they belong and shouldn't have changed…"

"That's not true!" he replied holding her shoulders shaking her gently to get her to react "We are not together to fight against the world! We are best friends and…" Something made him stop, he couldn't continue that phrase no matter how much he tried. It wasn't right. Something, as always, wasn't right.

"Marco, it's ok…"

"It's not…" He shook his head frustrated "And stop trying to convince me it is like everyone else!" He screamed, tears going down his cheeks again "Why… If you loved me, then why did you leave? Why did you leave _me_?"

Her eyes were in pain, in a way that he almost couldn't bear. A tear slide her cheek and revealed a broken mark in her face, a broken heart that looked way more than just a simple mark. "I would have to do it anyway… And you told me to."

He _told_ her to leave? Had he messed up things that much?!

Blue's hand caressed his face gently again, the broken mark on her birthmarks glowed, the shatter expanded to her skin beyond the mark. Still, she smiled at him as the world around them fell apart and it was fine. Eyes full of empathy and understanding.

There was an echo from a going somewhere in the background, he tried to take her away, but she refused to move. He had a faint idea he recognized her words from somewhere, but he couldn't figure out from where.

" _You were red…_ " The broken mark grew, " _And you liked me 'cause I was blue…_ " The shattering scars grew to her face, and yet she continued to talk slow and calmly, " _But you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky…_ " The mark of her breaking went to all of her. Her face, arms, hands and all else…

And from them little blue flowers grew.

" _But you decided that purple just wasn't for you._ " And with that, the flowers took over her and she broke like statue, the pieces of her becoming dust and carried away by the wind along those blue petals.

Marco woke up gasping.

He looked around confused, the place gone just like the girl, on his arm a bandage and on the other arm a needle filling his veins with whatever liquid was there, Marco gulped closing his eyes and frowning. It was a dream, as always. He could have seen her, but he didn't keep anything of how she looked like beyond the blue eyes. At the very least, he had a clue of what happened, but still didn't help anything.

"Marco?!"

He looked to the side to find his mother hurrying up to the bed looking at him in deep worry, "My boy! I'm so glad you're ok…" She hugged him close and gentle before leaning back trying to look angry between her tears and relief "What were you _thinking_?! Were you thinking _at all?!_ "

Instead of replying, he avoided the question and looked around "Where's dad?"

"He went to talk with your psychologist and the doctor." She replied and sat on the chair holding his bandaged hand "A fight club, Marco?! Why… What are you doing? Why are doing this to you- to _us!_ "

"I have to find her…" He sighed tiredly. It wasn't the first time he was having this conversation and it wouldn't be the last.

"Her?" Angie asked, "Please, don't say it's that Blue girl you talked about…"

Marco snorted annoyed, "I'm not insane, mom."

"Then why you're acting like you were?!" she replied exasperated "You are not like this Marco… This is not you... " She sniffed and tried to dry her tears, but more were coming. "For God's sake, Marco, we told you _Blue doesn't exist!_ "

"She _did!_ " Marco replied, "She may not exist now, but…" he gulped trying to keep his voice controlled "I don't know how it happened, but she used to exist. She was with us- _with me,_ all the time! Mom, I swear I'm not crazy… Please believe me…"

Angie shook her head in denial, way too worried on his well-being to try listen to his reasons "Even if that's true, you don't _know_ her, Marco! It's really worth to be like this for someone you know nothing about?"

Marco observed his mother trying to calm down and caressing his hand gently for long minutes. Thoughtful and carefully trying to pick his words. A nurse come in to check him up and after she was sure he was fine, announced he would be in observation just for precaution.

His mother had already given up on a answer when after a few seconds the nurse got out he spoke again.

"Her last name was Butterfly."

Angie looked at her son confused, his brown eyes were serious and calm like she haven't seen in long weeks "What?"

"Her last name was Butterfly," he repeats, "She was my age, she loved puppies and took lots of them, her favorite color would change just like she would change her clothes, sometimes she would say yellow, but most of the time it was _blue_." He looked at the ceiling talking without thinking to see what informations is mind could come up without his own knowledge "She like Love Sentence, Prisoners of Love was her favorite album. She loved rainbows and colors, she used to dance for no reason and get excited to most silly things. She was very naive and got tricked easily by Earth things. She had a big room, used to play songs loud and sing along while jumping and dancing on her bed. Sometimes she tried to cook, but she didn't do it well, still she never gave up on learning. She liked songs that get stuck on your head and would come up with them at any time and make you get stuck with them too. She was bright and always smiled, she would do anything to make a person feel better."

He took a breath and went on, "She loved boots and it was almost her everyday wear. She liked headbands and used to have hundreds of them. She hated to study, she couldn't stand on ice floor even if was to save her life, she learned to ride a bicycle with mine and almost died, she would get blind to the world if she was determined to something, she was afraid of people not accepting her as she was, she loved adventures at any time any day, she liked spiders despite everyone's else common sense, she would create the most weird names to spells. She was wild and liked to fight for what was right. She hated to act like a perfect princess, she just wanted to be herself. She was creative, fun, light, gentle, kind, lovely and strong. She was a great leader even if she didn't realized that…"

Marco looked at his surprised mother after all his rambling about everything he knew about Blue. To think on all that made he realize how much he knew about her and how much he missed her in his life.

"I may not know her name or face… But mom, I _know_ her…" His throat closed as he felt like crying again.

His mother's eyes looked at him in solace "Marco…"

"And I lost her…" He sniffed and felt a tear escape his eye, "She left and I don't even know why. Now no one, not even I remember her and that hurts… Because she was far more important than she will ever know and now I can't say that and not even think about our times together because _they are not there_ …" His mother sat on the bed wiping his tears away while she caressed his face, "I just want to see her, I know she's not ok and I won't be fine until I know she is alright… And I can't do that because she didn't left _anything_ for us… Not even a picture…" He began to cry harder, "I miss her, mom…"

Not bearing watching her child cry, Angie hold her son close. Marco let her do it and hugged back, leaning on her shoulder and let the tears fall free on her vest.

"She sounds like a incredible person…" his mother said trying to comfort him.

"I miss her so much…" Mrs Diaz begin to caress his back in attempt to soothe him, "I lost her, mom… Why did she leave me?"

Angie didn't have an answer, so she stayed in silence listening to her boy cry and hurting that she couldn't take his pain away. When Rafael came into the room, Marco had stopped crying due to exhaustion, so he helped her to put him to sleep and they stood there watching their child sleep with teared eyes. They looked at each other and wondered what they could do to help him.

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As the speech was finished, the students got up and threw their graduation hats in the air. For once Marco was happy, but he didn't know if was an effect of the accomplishment of graduating or if was an effect of the pills.

He hated to submit to the medicine, it was worse since he knew he _didn't_ _need_ them, but he also had enough mind to think on others since the day he went to the hospital after being knocked out in the fighting club. He didn't wanted to mess up anyone's else big day, so for once he take the pills to be calm. If that what it took for his brain work properly again for some hours and made himself able to enjoy that moment with others, then be it.

It surprisingly worked. He was calm and for once he didn't feel sad at all, not even a little.

He didn't think he would have so much fun at the ceremony, but it was very delightful, not only for his own accomplishment but also for his friends. It was a contagious happiness that got to him on the moment he stepped out the car to the fresh air of summer and grass. Everyone was so excited that Marco couldn't resist to feel happy too…

Even if he had no idea of what to do there on with his future.

Ferguson and Alfonso went to hug him, celebrating their graduation with pictures and laughter. Jackie and Janna found them a bit later, at the same time his parents showed up to take a picture of him with everyone.

Marco smiled to the picture even if he had found his annoyance by the absence of the girl… That moment was supposed to be hers too.

"Marco, can we talk to you for a minute?"

He nodded and asked for his friends wait for him before going to celebrate. Being more private of company, his mother took a box out her purse and showed his father. The big man smiled at the content before managing to take it out whatever was there without showing him.

"We know that you didn't need a graduation gift…" His mother said smiling.

"And after the last weeks you don't _deserve_ one…" His father interrupted looking at him severely for a moment.

" _Anyway,_ " his mother said annoyed at the interruption, "we wanted to give you something anyway.

Then his father revealed the object. A fine necklace with a pendant. The necklace chain was silverish and had adjustment closing. The pedant was rectangular, inside of it there was a silverish moon that shine in contrast with the dark blue stone. The image was framed in metal with the borders similar to clouds.

Marco looked at it amazed, "Wow… Wait, but what about this?" he signed to his bracelet with same signal.

"Both are yours," his father replied sliding the chain above his head gently "One as a family union and the other as a salute for the success."

"Even if I have no idea of what to do with life now on?"

They laughed gently "Even if you get stuck with us, you still succeed in high school and I know you'll figure out something to do." his mother smiled "Not everyone knows what to do right away, you know?"

Marco nodded grateful for his parents being comprehensive. He hugged both of them and looked at his necklace again. Sometime ago he used Jackie's to confirm his relationship, he had given it back a while ago, but his habit of snatching under his shirt to keep pressing his fingers wasn't still completely gone, so he was grateful to have something else.

He smiled at his parents and then realize they were frowning at the box still open, with confused faces "Is something wrong?"

"Actually, yes…" His father smiled still looking at the box.

His mother snatched whatever it was inside that was confusing them.

"I don't remember buying two, it's a pairing one!" She frowned lifting her hand showing him the other necklace.

The silver chain was far more delicate than his, there was a closing with a heart design. The pedant was very similar to his, but with a light drawing in the center of silver with a few stones that made it shine when reflected with light that expanded to all the edges.

Marco looked at his and realized that, indeed, they completed each other. It was very subtle, a bit of the moon on his was on the other necklace and a bit of its light was on his, the framed clouds also completed each other.

"Maybe you got for Jackie?" he said trying to help them to remember.

"Why would I get her something?" His mother asked annoyed, "Jackie is cool and all, but she isn't my daughter. There would be no reason to give her something that connected her to the family unless you two got married."

Marco smiled and then frowned again confused why he was happy for that statement.

"Well, we could try to sell it back, after all we have no daughter to gift her with it."

Something clicked into Marco and then he knew to whom that belong to. Because Blue was close to his parents just as she was close to him. they considered her family, a _daughter_.

It was _hers_.

It was the first undeniable proof of her existence. And he had a slight suspicion that the only reason why that was left, was because she didn't know about it in first place. Marco looked at his parents, he knew that trying to speak to them wouldn't do no good (it would be even harder since the topic was Blue and his parents were traumatized after the fight club event.

"Can I keep it?" Marco asked hopeful his parents would agree. He couldn't let that slip through his fingers.

"Why?" his father asked just as confused as his mother.

"Well…" he thought on a excuse quickly "I think they wouldn't accept back since it's a pairing necklace. They probably won't be able to sell it again since the other side is missing. So I can keep and give to someone later on."

His parents exchanged stares and then shrugged, it was reasonable and there was no given in rejecting his wish. His mother extended her arm to hand him the necklace "Take care then."

Marco hold the pedant carefully as if it was the most fragile material in the world. His fingers caressed the light in wonder and adoration. The way it completed to his made him wonder if his parents had chosen with some kind of foreshadowing or even a silver lining to his break up and forgot.

Or maybe they were so close to Blue they thought that she would do well to their son.

It made some sense, if counted even more if you consider that his parents symbolism had been sun and clouds instead of moon and they given the moon to him. The only thing that could complete a night sky with a moon was…

"Marco!" The boy looked behind him above his shoulder to his friends. Ferguson was waving at him to get his attention, "We'll be waiting at the parking lot, ok? Don't take long."

Marco took a deep breath and agreed. It wasn't his friends fault that he couldn't connect the points. He had realized sometime that until he found a proof of her existence, something (the universe, destiny, magic, curse or whatever) would get on his way and stop him from getting the clue.

His eyes observed the necklace once again. It didn't mean he would give up. Not now, not ever.

He would find her. There was no other option.

.

.

.

.

.

They stood on the airport. Marco was with Jackie's bag so she could properly give a final hug on her friends and family. There were tears and laughs. It wasn't a sad goodbye, but it surely was bittersweet.

Ferguson and Alfonso would leave in one week too, Janna would be the only one staying longer for the same reason as him: figuring out what to do with life.

Janna was thinking to join the police, fireman or even the army. She wanted a life with action and danger, she was well aware that by getting the cops she would have that but it would be also be very serious, but for some reason she was ok with that.

" _It's familiar somehow…"_ She had said last time they talked about it _"Almost like I've done before in worse moment and was ok… It will be piece of cake."_

Marco also felt familiar to that, so much he had got into those fights for that very reason. And as much it made him feel the action of being alive and give him troubles, he also realized it wasn't enough.

He wanted more.

Where to find such thing, he had no idea. He tried a few radical sports with his friends while they kicked off high school… It was great and he had fun, but there was still that void that longed to be completed.

"Hey," Jackie stood in front of him smiling gently "what's up with the sad face?"

The young adult smiled at her hiding his feelings away "Just wondering how you would be there alone."

The skate giggled and got her bag from him pulling it aside for a moment to hold him close "I'll be fine. You know you can visit me anytime, besides-" she leaned back to look at him- "you are the one who refused to go with me, so if I die of boredom it will be your fault!"

Marco laughed when she booped his nose and kissed her forehead gently. "Take care, ok? I'm sorry it didn't work out with us, but you're still a dear friend to me."

"I know and stop thinking on that" She shrugged, "I always knew your heart belonged to other. I'm happy you considered me first before getting her on your arms." Before Marco asked her about what she was talking about, Jackie's mom called her to the departure. "Oh well, time to go!" She hugged him once more "I'll miss you, wish me luck!"

Marco smiled hugging back "I'll miss you too, and you already have the best luck in the world. Don't worry."

She stepped back and hold her bag again nodding and taking a few steps. Her friends went away to give a moment for her and her family. Marco watched back stepping away from his life like his friends would do it soon (as _Blue_ did it sooner) and decided he should have a break from his own mind.

"Marco!" The boy looked back above his shoulder and found Jackie waving at him bye smiling brightly. "If you ever find Blue, tell her I said bye and that I miss her too! And you two come visit me as soon as she's back!"

He looked at her shocked, Jackie just giggled and turned back to her family, going to the departure section again. She believed in him. Jackie believed that there was someone there too, someone that cease to exist for some weird reason.

"You know, she's not the only one" Marco turned around to find Ferguson smiling at him with Alfonso and Janna.

"Dude," Alfonso said sighing "we are not against you going after that girl. We are against you _destroying yourself_ to find her. You almost dropped your grades, you got in fights, you went to the hospital after losing in a fight club for freaking god sake Marco!"

Janna patted Alfonso back, "What tall guy means is, we support you. We may not remember anything or feel the weird absence, loneliness and blah blah blah you feel, but we support you… just not the way you're doing it."

"Besides," Ferguson said "if she was from the gang, she belong here, right?" he put a hand on Marco's shoulder "You're going to find her, and we will help in any way we can. You can count on us, Marco!"

Marco smiled at his friends and embraced them close "You guys are the best in the whole universe!"

"That speaks directly to me, step back you two" Janna smirked.

The brown haired boy laughed anyway, in a way very close to what he used to.

The way back to home had been a thousand times easier and lifting up. He had shared everything he knew about her, they made theories to why he was the exception, Marco was finally able to put down the walls himself had created to open up to his friends. Yes, they thought he could be going crazy, but they supported him anyway. Either right or wrong, they would do the best they could to help him.

Even if he was really insane and they had to save him from himself.

Ferguson dropped at his house right after he had left Janna on hers. They waved at the window and for once, Marco felt he was really not alone in his journey, if the final chapter would be him on a clinic or finding out he was right he didn't know, but it was great to be around people that cared about him and to finally receive support (or at least realizing that.)

The world didn't have to be his enemy and he didn't have to act like it was.

He stepped into his house, the silence gave him the answer he was used to, his parents were out. A note on the fridge confirmed it by the message that they went to have dinner out and would bring him something. Marco went to the living room ready to get distracted to video games or tv shows.

Then there was _pain_.

It was so sudden and strong that his legs failed him. Marco fell on the floor in front of his couch, grabbing his chest in attempt to stop the pain, the vibration on his throat said he was screaming, but he didn't hear it, there was just a infinite hum on his ears. His heart beat faster than ever, he could feel his stomach turning around, cold sweat and his brain exploring in intense pain as it expanded to his whole body.

He tried to breathe, but his lungs burned and his vision was no more than a blur of colors, he felt cold (God, it was so _cold_ ), his bones like solid ice and muscles tense, but burning. Marco never felt so sick in his life and he never knew any sickness that could cause that.

Was he bleeding? He didn't know, he didn't feel it. Marco wondered if that was some kind of heart attack, he never had one to know. The stress over weeks could have done that? He didn't doubt it, he was really messed up. Even if he was able to relax a bit since the graduation with help of his medicine. Was that it? Was he dying? No he couldn't. Not now, not before finding _her_. Not before _at least_ remembering her.

His chest hurt, God why it hurt? Why it was hurting so much? How could such pain exist? How come he didn't died by the pain itself?! He tried to keep calm and breathe. Even if was in fact dying, getting desperate would do no good anyway (and if he _was_ dying, well there was nothing to do anyway.)

Marco stayed on the ground trying to be calm for long minutes until the pain had subsided. Only after he was sure he was able to hear his voice again and move without feeling it would kill him, Marco took courage to try get up. Supporting himself on his knees, he tried to sit up, but it was proven a mistake as his arms failed and he hit his head on the floor. Grunting he turned to the side cursing the nothing.

Then he saw.

There was something under the couch, it shined a bit on the reflection of light, but there was too much dust to give him proper details on the item. Carefully, Marco extended his arm under the couch reaching the object. It was some kind of golden chain, with some details in hearts and such.

Being aware of his stinging muscles, Marco sat up slowly. On his hands he hold the chain between his fingers curiously. It was broken (and by the way it was deformed,) it had been broken by force. He never saw his mother use nothing like that before and neither his dad. if was some kind of bracelet… A bracelet that somehow reminded him of his own.

The lock was in the shape of a moon, it was also deformed, but not broken. Around the chain he blew the dust and took a bit more with his fingers carefully. There was a pedant on it and he looked at the five edged symbol, turning around gently. There was something written along a drawing of a butterfly in the corner.

The word written, in fun cursive writing, had four letters. A word he haven't heard in forever and which felt odd now that he read and thought about it. He frowned a bit reading the word only to himself as if it would help him to fix it in the right place.

 _Star._

And as if magic - No, wait _it was!_ \- everything was clear.

It was her name. That was Blue, it was _her name_. He remembered her name!

Feeling a smile come to his lips and his eyes teared up on the feeling of utmost joy and accomplishment. Marco hugged the bracelet - The bracelet he gave her! - close to his chest. At very least, he recovered her, a bit of her. He knew her name, he knew her face… And just then, Marco realized it was a lot more than that. It was how appearance, personality, her everything…

"Star…" he mumbled under his breath.

The world turned white, but he didn't care, because before him the memories that he lost and missed so much played right before his eyes.

A gentle smile for his attempt to talk to Jackie. Both of them taking the dozen of magical puppies to take a walk. The way she would exaggerate on sugar. There was the sound of her laugh, so vivid and real that echoed in his head. He remembered on how she liked clothing with colors and happiness. On how she did everything to cheer him up after a bad day. On a song inspired on her as a princess. He remember how she was the greatest help he needed to confidence and to be with Jackie. On how she saved his life time after time, and even so didn't care if he didn't count up to her. He remember her her golden hair going around free most of the time, on how it was a wild mess by morning. There was her stealing his cereals. She defending his back on middle of battles, taking down every enemy by his side with joy and determination. Soft hands helping him to patch up his injuries after battle or accident on training. Her voice cheering on him from the crowd, calling for him for help, with worried tone, after a battle, with relief. There were memories of his monstrous arm she did by accident and when they learned to control it.

There was her perfume as a night breeze of spring - Fresh, warm and scented of flowers blooming. There was a memory of her first snow fight, with her hitting him in the face, just to get smashed by him right after and laugh while covered in snow. He remembers her running all around, jumping, hugging him. Her cheek birthmarks shaped as hearts, that would change on her humor or even shine with her power or when she had strong feelings. He remembers each headband she used on everyday, the bear ears, rabbit, cactus, devil horns, clouds, ornaments, crowns, pearls. The songs she played loudly and would get stuck on his head for the rest of the day (or when she changed the song) while jumping and dancing on her bed using the Wand as a microphone. He remembers her most recent interest on using bracelets and earrings, on how Jackie got her to get her ear pierced and they got her milk-shake as reward for not crying more than ten minutes out loud (even if she was sipping the milk-shake still sniffing.)

He remember her warmth from dire times, when the wand cleaved, when she lost something important, after a lost battle, after hurting, on relief, on joy... He can still see the way her skirt - either from dresses, coats or just regular skirts - would float around her when she swirled in joy, trying to follow her movements.

And then, her eyes.

Blue. Blue was the color of her eyes, the same blue he was longing to see, the same blue he was expecting to find when he woke up on the hospital after the prom. The same blue he was sure he saw in the fight club and got desperate. The same blue it would take his breath away and make his heart beat stronger without him realizing it. The shade of blue he couldn't stand to see hurt or worried, not even crying. The blue eyes she got from her mother, but a lot more deeper and brighter for him than anyone else eye's could ever be to him.

Watching her dancing around his memories, on how there was everything she was and even more, there was all he wanted… And he wanted more. There was everything he loved, every single memory and moment…

The one he loves.

More than anyone and that he would do anything to be with her, the girl of his dreams dressed as a best-friend that made him blind for so long. The girl who made him fall slowly, steady, deep and so great in love with her by doing nothing more than be herself and be there by him. In such natural way that he had never really understood how much and how deep until now, even if he did know before his feelings, he never had realized it was this strong.

He loved Star.

Beyond any connection, any circumstance, any bonding, any prophecy, he loved her. He knew he would have loved her even without all of that, she was the perfect girl for him. He just couldn't see before. She was by then, now and she would always be the one for him.

Star from his memories stopped swirling around dancing and looked at him directly. A smile come to her face, cheeks warm and eyes bright full of happiness. Around them there was no more void of white, but the memories of their years together played filling the spaces.

God, she was so happy looking at him, like a northern light shining bright in the sky just for him, just because she wanted so. Her voice was like a candle in middle of the darkness, bringing relief and calm like the ocean after a storm.

"Marco!"

God, it felt good to hear his name on her voice. Like a void of his soul being finally put together and filled in with _life_.

There she was. Her memories, her existence, her presence, her everything. Her. Star Butterfly in all her glory and wild grace. Marco could feel at ease and he smiled at the memories back in his head, and her existence within him caused by them. The memory version of Star maybe couldn't do much to help him, but it was her in someway. Her memory self smiled confused at him admiring her and his voice finally was able to come out.

"Hi, Star."

Thus, he fell asleep, his body relaxing as he dreamed memories. But it was alright, he needed to rest, because now he had a new goal and it would be the first thing to do when he woke up.

He had to find a way to go to Mewni and get Star.

* * *

 _Don't be fooled. I still can do a lot worse. In fact that's the reason why next chapter is 41 pages and I'm having trouble to change lol_

 _Also, Witchcraft is real :P_


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